When The Heat Is On
by Angela Penfold
Summary: A growing attraction between two emergency workers could cause troble for 55's Third Watch when a summer heatwave brings an arsonist to the area. Chapter 13 now up. Please R&R.
1. Smoke Signals

In a message dated 28/5/02 8:10:25 pm,Â  writes:  
  
Title: When the Heat Is On (1/?)  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Category: Romance/Suspense  
  
Disclaimer: Third Watch and its characters do not belong to me. I won't make  
  
any money using them in this story.  
  
Notes: This story is set sometime after the end of season 2, but in my own  
  
little timeline, Bobby wasn't killed after being shot. He of course survived  
  
and made it through to my little story.  
  
  
  
When The Heat Is On  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
The beer bottle grew warm in her hand as the sun slowly marched in its  
  
inevitable arc across the sky. Late nights and the third watch didn't mix  
  
well with summer days spent drinking cold beer, but a day off provided the  
  
chance for some relaxation and the opportunity for Kim Zambrano to pretend  
  
that her life was less stressful than it really was. Aromatic smoke drifted  
  
around her but it didn't obscure her view of the city and it wasn't the type  
  
of smoke that would usually have her reaching for an extinguisher.  
  
  
  
This had been her favourite spot ever since they'd moved into the apartment,  
  
her own little patch of peace away from the grimy, dangerous streets of New  
  
York. It'd taken some hard work to haul out the rotting felt flooring and a  
  
ramshackle chicken coop left by the previous tenant, but eventually the tiny  
  
patch of roof garden had become the haven she'd first imagined when she'd  
  
viewed the apartment.  
  
  
  
Feeling the warmth of fanned heat against her neck, Kim smiled languidly.  
  
With the apartment to herself for her entire day off, she'd decided to  
  
celebrate and just kick back in a summer tradition that went back to caveman  
  
times, barbecue. Admittedly it wasn't woolly mammoth roasting with a  
  
delicious aroma over the coals but there always seemed to be something  
  
primitive in the ritual of barbecuing and there was definitely something  
  
barbaric and overtly masculine in the figure standing over the grill.  
  
  
  
Like the best of the ancient hunters, his broad shouldered figure supported  
  
the smooth slabs of muscle of a natural athlete. He wasn't as furry as his  
  
ape ancestors and the low brow of the missing link was thankfully missing but  
  
there was something distinctly male in the dusting of dark hair on his tanned  
  
forearms and the sleek, noble lines of his face. His position, cooking for  
  
them, seemed so natural that for a moment Kim found it hard to remember that  
  
he wasn't a permanent fixture in the place she called home.  
  
  
  
A soft sigh of contentment passed Kim's lips as she shifted in her seat and  
  
felt the crinkle of the cotton cushion against her bare shoulders. Summer had  
  
hit the city early this year and the heat was already becoming too much for  
  
some of its residents, but evenings spent sweating in the cramped cab of her  
  
rig had made Kim appreciate time out in the fresh air and sunshine. Standing  
  
in front of the grill, the heat must've been fierce for him, but he didn't  
  
complain, not even when his T-shirt had plastered itself against his sweaty  
  
back.Â  Not so long ago he wouldn't have thought twice about stripping off his  
  
top and cooking while the breeze cooled his hot skin but things had changed  
  
for him. Too self-conscious about the scars that now marred his body, he kept  
  
his shirt on even though it was wet through.  
  
  
  
Almost as if he felt her eyes on him, he turned to her, his dark eyes zoning  
  
in on hers. A slow smile crossed his face, white teeth glowing against his  
  
tan. In a practised move he deftly flipped a thick, juicy hamburger before  
  
speaking. "You'd better be hungry. These are almost done and it'd be a damn  
  
same to waste meat this fine."  
  
  
  
"Oh don't worry." Kim's lips curved in a grin as she raised her bottle and  
  
took a gulp of luke warm beer. "I'll eat my way through the lot. I've been  
  
waiting for this all week."  
  
  
  
He chuckled softly as he turned back to the grill and shifted a crispy piece  
  
of chicken away from an overzealous flame. "I always look forward to the day  
  
off. No late night prank call outs, don't have to eat Nieto's cooking and no  
  
stumbling drunks puking on me."  
  
  
  
A mischievous glint appeared in Kim's eyes and her grin broadened. "Can't  
  
guarantee that last one isn't going to happen. The day's still young and  
  
there's a couple of six packs chilling inside."  
  
  
  
"Mmm," he grunted. Lifting his own beer, he gulped down the last of the  
  
frothy liquid, then let the bottle swing back and forth between his fingers.  
  
"You wanna go grab a couple more of them while I serve this stuff up?"  
  
  
  
"Next time, I'm doing the cooking and you can play slave," Kim shot back as  
  
she got to her feet.  
  
  
  
"Uh huh," he smirked. He flashed her a wicked grin from beneath his long  
  
eyelashes. "We'd both be at Mercy with food poisoning within three hours and  
  
you know it."  
  
  
  
"Smart ass." Grinning broadly she aimed a slap at his hip with her magazine.  
  
  
  
He tried dodging but the shot still landed across his thigh. Kim smiled  
  
proudly, laughing at him as she strolled back into the oppressive heat of her  
  
apartment. Spending her day off alone had its appeal, lazing around the  
  
apartment, no screams of 'mommy' echoing through the lounge, but inviting him  
  
over had been the best idea she'd had in months. He'd pulled away from her at  
  
the hospital after the shooting and it had seemed like he'd been continuing  
  
to pull away from her since but out there, today, it was almost like old  
  
times again.  
  
  
  
Kim tugged open the fridge door and stooped in front of it. Chilled air  
  
washed over her hot skin, eliciting a sigh of relief from her lips. The  
  
relief soon faded as the shrill ring of the cordless phone blew in from the  
  
roof garden. Drawing in a deep breath, Kim grabbed two bottles of beer and  
  
called out. "Grab that for me."  
  
  
  
Almost instantly the screech of the phone was cut off and replaced with the  
  
low murmur of his voice. Strolling back outside, Kim watched him with  
  
interest.  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
"It's Alex." The normally inaudible voice that came through on the other end  
  
of phone lines was clear to her, three feet away this time. The sheer panic  
  
in her co-worker's stressed voice was also clear as Kim listened. "I need to  
  
speak to Kim."  
  
  
  
"Sure." A frowned creased his forehead as he stepped closer, intending to  
  
pass over the handset. "What's happened?"  
  
  
  
Alex's sigh buzzed loudly over the line, its tone sending fear spiralling  
  
through Kim's stomach. "Someone torched the leather warehouse on Saint Andrew  
  
Boulevard. Some of the squad got into trouble." The volume of her voice  
  
dropped as her voice emerged again. "They rushed Jimmy and Sweet to Mercy,  
  
it's pretty bad." His voice locked in his throat. Unable to speak, he just  
  
stared at Kim, his face grim. 


	2. Dark Clouds

Title: When The Heat is On Author: Angela Penfold Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: The Third Watch team aren't mine, even if I do want 'em to be. Warnings: Some mentions of violence When The Heat is On Chapter 2 "Alex!" Kim's cry echoed down the hallway, followed by the soft footfalls of her sneakered feet. Panic was evident in her features as she bustled past a nurse and rushed towards her co-workers. She'd left the house as soon as Bobby had put the phone down and they'd sped the whole way. Any real intimacy between her and Jimmy had died a long time ago but they were still close and no matter what happened he was Joey's father. Anxiety tightened her voice as she stopped in front of the ash-smeared fire fighter. "What happened? How is he?" Alex didn't answer for a moment, she just looked back and forth between Bobby and Kim. It was obvious from her silence that this wasn't just a sprained wrist. A wave of nausea shot through Kim when Alex finally spoke. "We were called out to the leather factory. Cap sent a group of us inside to control the hotspots. Jimmy and Sweet were heading up to the second floor when the staircase collapsed. They fell twenty feet." "Oh God," Kim murmured in a shuddery whisper. She'd never regretted the medical knowledge she'd been given, except for in situations like this, when there was someone she knew in pain. She couldn't just let the naivety swamp her and imagine that Jimmy was fine after a fall like that. They all knew that there was a risk of building collapse on any run they'd made but it didn't make the accident any easier to accept, or any less severe. She knew the damage a fall like that could cause, she knew that a lot of people didn't survive that sort of accident. "We got them out of there as soon as we could," Alex added softly. "How bad?" Kim's eyes glimmered with unshed tears as she watched Alex's face. "Jimmy's in surgery now. He . uh . he's got a dislocated knee cap, second degree burns to both legs, broken ribs, a punctured lung and they think he lacerated his liver." Alex swallowed hard and pasted a half-hopeful smile on her face. "They think he'll be fine after the surgery." A breath shuddered out of Kim's chest as Alex's words sank in. The burns, the dislocated patella, the broken ribs, even the punctured lung, were easily treatable, not life threatening except in the most extreme circumstances, the liver laceration was different though. People died regularly from tears to the liver, if there'd been any delay in getting Jimmy out of that building, in getting him medical help, he could've died. Her son could've been left without a father. Things with Jimmy had never been simple, or easy, but for the second time in a year he'd been a hair's breadth away from dying. Tears that had been building since Bobby had given her the bad news finally spilled over her lashes, meandering down her cheeks. Her lip quivered and she suddenly felt herself fighting for breath.  
  
Seeming to sense the need almost before it had rushed through Kim's body, Bobby turned and wrapped his arms around her, gathering her close. On the job he'd seen so many people go through the same rush of emotion, the realisation that they'd come so close to losing a loved one. It was different when it was one of your own, knocking your own pain aside you had to stay strong and provide support. Jimmy wasn't his best friend, they both had too much of a history with Kim for that. He was a part of the team though and he still meant a lot to Kim, he couldn't help but be effected by what had happened. Kim's hair slid like silk across his skin as he rested his cheek on top of her bowed head. Around them, the team from the station stood in quiet groups, their soot-smeared faces telling of the worry that churned inside them. He locked eyes with Alex, question after question coming to mind. "How about Sweet?" he asked softly, his breath stirring the strands of hair that had escaped Kim's ponytail. In the aftermath of the news on Jimmy, he'd almost forgotten the young rookie who'd fallen alongside the station's romeo. "He was lucky," Alex said softly, some of the anguish slipping from her face. "Jimmy had taken point, Sweet was further down the staircase when it collapsed. Morales has him in the trauma room now, they wouldn't let us stay. Looked like a broken wrist, ribs and a dislocated shoulder on the way in, had some burns too." His hands skimmed gently up and down Kim's quaking back. As long as they didn't find anything more serious when they opened Jimmy up, both he and Sweet would be fine but emotions were still running high. The tension wouldn't ease until Jimmy was out of surgery and awake, telling them himself that he'd be all right. A shudder ran through Kim's body as she forced herself to take in a deep breath. Realising that the moment of comforting was over, Bobby loosened his arms from around Kim and let her step back. Kim sniffled and swiped back an escaped lock of hair. "How long have they had him in surgery?" "Almost twenty minutes," Alex said with a slight shrug. "It took us ten minutes to get them out from under the collapse. They rushed him up almost as soon as we got here." "Got a couple of hours at least until we know anything," Bobby murmured. He needed to comfort Kim in some way but without her asking, without her making the first move towards him again he couldn't just hold her close. Settling his hand on the base of Kim's neck, he flashed her a compassionate smile. "We should see if they've got a waiting room we can all sit in." Alex shook her head, glancing around the group of amassed fire fighters. "We don't know when we're going to get called again, Cap's trying to bring in people from other shifts but till then we can be sent off to an incident at any time." "It's alright," Bobby murmured. Still unnerved, Kim shifted on her feet and interjected into the conversation. "Do they know what caused that fire yet? Do they have any idea why the stairs collapsed." The only response she got from Alex for a moment was a shake of her head. "There was no real flare ups in that section of the warehouse. We spotted a minor blaze under the stairs before they started up them but it the staircase shouldn't have fallen like that. No signs of charring anywhere along it, there shouldn't have been a collapse." Biting her lip in confusion and frustration, Alex shook her head again. "A fire investigator is down there now, checking it all out." "They've finished their preliminary inspection." Cap's strong voice broke through the quiet of the hallway. He strode through the group, the men parting in his wake. Pity filled his eyes as he spotted Kim. "The fire was definitely arson. The investigator found signs of trailing on all floors and the staircase had been tampered with." Kim's face blanched as an angry murmur of voices filled the air. Someone had deliberately torched a building, someone had hurt fire fighters on purpose. Two men had nearly been killed. 


	3. and Silver Linings

Title: When The Heat is On (2/?)  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Rating: NC-17  
  
Disclaimer: See the first chapter. No profit made etc.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Jimmy's breathing and the steady beat of the heart monitor were the only sounds in the room. He'd come round briefly in the recovery room, asking how Sweet was doing before the drugs had swept him back into unconsciousness once more. Kim had almost laughed with relief when she'd heard but the worry hadn't truly left her, she still had to tell Joey that someone had hurt his father on purpose. They tried so hard to preserve their son's innocence, to keep him safe from the evils of the world but it kept creeping in anyway.  
  
"Got you some coffee."  
  
Looking up, Kim met Bobby's warm brown eyes and she smiled slightly. He'd headed out fifteen minutes before to give her some time alone. "Better be warm still," she murmured softly, a half grin on her lips.  
  
He shrugged, handing her the steaming polystyrene cup and settled into an uncomfortable plastic seat. "Freshly brewed downstairs. I sent the others home; they looked like hell in that waiting room. News was in so I figured they could rest easy."  
  
"Thanks." The coffee was scalding hot and extremely bitter but Kim sipped at it anyway, let it help drive the chill from her bones. "You should head off too. I'm gonna stay here tonight. My mom's got Joey, said she'd keep him till tomorrow."  
  
"I'll stay a while," Bobby said softly. He stretched an arm out along the back of her seat. "Steak's probably blacker than the charcoal by now and the hospital vending machines do have those amazing soggy cheese sandwiches."  
  
His staying hadn't been in question, Kim thought. Smiling softly, she  
  
reclined in her seat, letting the warmth from the coffee and Bobby's arm soothe her.  
  
"The ones with the month old lettuce leaf and tomato squidged into the bread?"  
  
"That's the ones. Think they might have really pushed the boat out and added a ham sandwich or two."  
  
"She never did like ham sandwiches 'less they were toasted."  
  
Kim nearly spilt her coffee as the croaky voice emerged from the bed. The doctors had predicted that Jimmy would probably sleep through this evening but there he went, proving everyone wrong again. He was still very pale, Kim noticed, and his eyes were shadowed with pain but he was moving under the covers and talking.  
  
Learning forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, Bobby grinned at Jimmy. The humour was a definite relief from the fear and anxiety. "Think the lab here would toast it over a bunsen burner for her?"  
  
"Only if I head down there and work my magic on those pretty techs," Jimmy said weakly.  
  
A sad smile curved Kim's lips, almost painting her eyes with tears. She set her coffee cup down on the floor and stood, crossing to Jimmy's bed in silence. Reaching out, she gently brushed hair back from his forehead. She'd done the same thing to Joey as he'd slept hundreds of times before but she'd never seen the angry red burns then like she had with Jimmy now. "I don't think you'll be doing that for a while yet," she said softly. "I'll just toughen up and eat  
  
them any way I can get them."  
  
Dark lashes flickered shut for a moment, hiding the pain filled eyes beneath. Jimmy's voice was almost inaudible when it emerged. "I've really messed myself up this time. We were nearly on the top floor when it went, just seemed to be droppin' forever. Couldn't breathe but I had to find Sweet Kim, I tried to get to him, get him out but the flames were everywhere. Hurt so much."  
  
"We know Jimmy," Kim whispered. Her fingers continued to move restlessly through his hair, down behind his ear. "You both got out, a little time and you're gonna be just fine."  
  
Doherty licked his lips, trying to bring some moisture back to their parched surface and some strength back to his voice. "How's he doing?"  
  
Bobby broke into the conversation, his speech tighter than it'd been minutes ago. "Spoke to the docs downstairs. Looks like he landed on his arm. They popped his shoulder back in, gave him a cast and a sling. Burns weren't too bad. They're letting him home in the morning. He's more worried about you than he is about himself."  
  
"There wasn't anythin' I could do," Jimmy said hoarsely. "Cap sent us up to check the top floor, look for anyone trapped in there. The stairs, they . they seemed steady, just a little flare up beneath them." He drew in a ragged breath, the threat of a cough and the panic building within, constricting his chest.  
  
Kim reached for the call button, ready to bring the hospital staff running. He reached out slowly, battered fingers gripping her wrist. Jimmy's eyes still burned with the pain that swamped his body but the hold on her arm was strong.  
  
"I'm OK." A ragged breath flowed through Jimmy's lips before he continued. "The stairs were fine 'til I got about two thirds up. S-suddenly the beams began creakin', bouncin'. It all started comin' down before we could move. Kim . Kim, s-shouldn't have happened. Stairs shouldn't have come down. No reason for it. N-no reason."  
  
Letting out a deep breath, Kim glanced at Bobby. "Jimmy, it was arson."  
  
"They did it on purpose? Torched the place, h-hurt us."  
  
Bobby stood up slowly, the grim reality etched all over his face. It was almost murder today. "They're gonna get all kinds of investigators down here and catch whoever did this Jimmy. They hurt out own now and when the heat is on we always get them."  
  
"Better," Jimmy said softly. "Better get them." Dark lashes fluttered shut once more, spelling the exhaustion finally taking control of Jimmy's body and the easing of his breathing as he fell asleep. The frown slipped from his brow, the tension disappearing from his grip on Kim's arm.  
  
As Kim slowly lowered Jimmy's hand, Bobby's comforting touch settled on her back. He waited until Kim had bent and kissed Jimmy's forehead before speaking. "There's nothing else we can do here tonight Kim. We should get you home, let you get some sleep."  
  
Kim nodded slowly and rubbed a hand over her face. "I'll be back here early in the morning to check on him." She cast one last glance at the bed before heading out, Bobby's supporting arm around her shoulders.  
  
The car trip home was almost a blur, just the chill gusts from the air conditioning in Bobby's jeep making an impact upon her fevered mind. The barbecue was predictably burnt out by the time they made it into her apartment but her appetite was just a distant memory. Dragging her hands through her hair, Kim stood in the middle of the living room. There were a dozen things her mind was screaming at her to do but it wouldn't settle enough for her to do them. She flashed Bobby a tight smile as he came back inside, empty beer bottles dangling from his fingers, it was just like him to tidy up.  
  
"I should phone my mom, update her, tell Joey what's going on. I need to talk to Jimmy's family too," Kim whispered almost frantically. She glanced around the room, trying to spot the phone.  
  
Bobby stepped closed to her, the scent of warm skin and barbecue smoke that clung to his t-shirt instantly soothing. "He's doing alright now Kim. All that can wait till the morning, just relax now," he said softly. His arms rose and she stepped into his embrace, her head finally finding somewhere to lay against his shoulder, the tears of fear and sadness and relief finally flowing. "It'll be OK," he whispered against her hair. 


	4. Broken Silence

When the Heat is On  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Is my daddy gonna come home soon?"  
  
The noise broke through the veil of sleep first, slowly separating into voices, into sentences and a conversation. Closing her eyes tighter shut, Kim buried her face into the pillow below her head. She was too exhausted, her mind craving sleep too much for her to get out of bed. Bed? No, her couch. The last thing she remembered was her kitchen, a cup of coffee cradled between her palms while Bobby gave Cap the latest news over the phone.  
  
"I don't know. We gotta make sure we stay quiet OK Joey, your mom needs to get some sleep and we need to her that breakfast."  
  
Bobby's voice, far quieter than Joey's had been, no surprise there. She doubted there'd be too much more sleep now. Kim lifted a hand to swipe a clump of hair away from her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered open, her living room, full of early morning light, swam into focus. Holding Joey's smaller hand, Bobby was heading into the kitchen. His clothes were rumpled, his hair still tussled from sleep. He'd stayed the night. "Too late," Jim said, punctuating her words with a yawn. "Mommy's already awake."  
  
"Bobby said you were tired so we shouldn't wake you up." With his hand released, Joey rushed across the room and flopped onto the couch by his mother's waist.  
  
"He was half right." Smiling wryly, Kim sat up. The blanket covering her fell to her waist as she pulled Joey closer for a hug. "I thought Gams was taking care of you for me today."  
  
Tucking his hands into the pockets of his shorts, Bobby reclined against the doorframe. He'd thought to get her a pillow, a blanket to cover her legs as she slept, forever the carer. "They called your mom into work this morning. I told her I could take care of Joey till the babysitter could pick him up at nine. We'd planned on making some breakfast before Joey got to wake you up."  
  
A cheeky grin lit up Joey's face as pulled away from his mom. "Bobby said we could make blueberry pancakes."  
  
"Figured you'd need more than a slice of toast before you headed over to the hospital," Bobby said softly. He stepped back into the kitchen and began to make good on his promise, reaching into a cupboard for the dry ingredients.  
  
Kim settled back on the couch and bit her lip. Being hurt on the job was something fire fighters expected to happen at some point in their career but telling Joey that his dad had been injured was always tough. She slipped an arm around Joey and drew him back against her. "Joey, did Gams tell you what happened to your dad at work last night?"  
  
Joey shrugged, his dark, innocent eyes focusing on his mom's face. "He got ill and he had to go to the hospital so that doctors could make him feel better. Is he coming home today?"  
  
"I don't think so," Kim whispered. Jimmy'd been fairly lucky in the accident but it would take more than a day, heck probably more than a month to get back on his feet again. "There was an accident when your daddy was putting out a fire last night. Some stairs broke and your daddy and his friend Sweet fell down." Fear widened Joey's eyes, Kim hugged him quickly, trying to find some way to soothe the anxiety she'd just caused. "They're going to be OK though. The doctors took care of your daddy and he'll have to stay in the hospital until he feels better but he's OK Joey, he's OK." Tears brimmed over her lashes as Kim held Joey close. Sometimes it was impossible to keep loved ones safe.  
  
She still had Joey cradled tight against her chest when Bobby stuck his head around the door twenty minutes later. The wonderful scent of cooked pancakes had Joey pulling away and scrambling to his feet. By the time Kim'd stood up and ran a hand through her mussed hair, he'd made it to the kitchen, barrelling past Bobby.  
  
"Pancakes and coffee are on the table," Bobby murmured. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder before dropping his tone even further. "How'd he take it? He was asking about Jimmy the instant your mom dropped him off."  
  
Smoothing down her rumpled t-shirt Kim moved towards the door and Bobby. "Better than I did. As long as he knew Jimmy had doctors taking care of him he thinks everything'll be fine." They both knew that in an ideal world that'd be the truth but there were far too many things that doctors still couldn't fix.  
  
A strong arm settled around Kim's shoulders, remaining there until she'd reached the table. The scent rising from the warmed blueberries had Kim's mouth watering. These were definitely more appealing than the sandwich she'd picked at the night before. "Looks great," she said, chuckling softly. "Good huh Joey?"  
  
Her question was greeted with an enthusiastic nod. "Gams' pancakes never taste like this."  
  
Bobby settled a napkin over his lap and grabbed his fork. "Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment." In what seemed like an all too domestic scene, they dug into breakfast, easy conversation emerging between mouthfuls.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The hospital was quiet when they arrived. Its hallways were almost empty, the few staff in view going about their duties without fuss. Later in the day the place would be bustling, visitors adding to the hectic pace of life at Mercy, for now though it was almost silent. Their journey to the right floor was fast and for once they didn't run into half a dozen familiar people.  
  
Kim reached for Bobby's hand as they turned into the hallway that led to Jimmy's room. Today there'd be more details available, both about the health of the fire fighters and exactly what had happened at the fire that'd injured them. The myriad of possibilities about what they'd learn had a swarm of butterflies taking flight in her stomach.  
  
A raised voice cut through the peace, its harsh tone making Kim frown. Two figures were backing out of Jimmy's room, a nurse driving a stranger in a baseball cap and battered leather jacket out into the hall. The stranger was doing all the barking, her hands moving animatedly, gesturing back at the room. "I don't care what you're doing to him, I need to talk to Doherty now."  
  
The nurse's brows rose, her arms coming up to cross over her narrow chest as she took up a guard position at the door. "Visitors aren't allowed in the rooms while dressings are being changed. Treatment is private."  
  
"What?" the woman asked in disbelief. "He afraid of showing a little flesh? Look lady, you're really pissing me off and you're screwing up my day. Get outta my way."  
  
"Hey!" Releasing Bobby's hand Kim rushed forward. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bobby moved after her but Kim had reached the pair first. She shrugged off his touch as he reached for her shoulder.  
  
The stranger turned, eyes narrowing beneath the brim of a battered Yankees cap. "Not that it's anything to do with you, I'm trying to question the guy in that room."  
  
Concern flooded Kim's stomach, her frown now one of worry rather than anger. There were only a few reasons why Jimmy was being interviewed and the most worrying was the he was under suspicion of doing something wrong during the fire. "I'm his ex-wife," she said softly. "Are you with the police?"  
  
A wry smile curved the woman's lips as she reached into the pocket of her worn jeans and retrieved a leather case. She flipped it open revealing a New York Fire Department badge. "No way. I'm a fire investigator. Amelia MacNab. I've been assigned the investigation into last night's fire. I think Mr Doherty can help me clear up a few points." 


	5. No Stone Unturned

Title: When the Heat Is On (5/?)  
  
Rating: NC-17 (for adult material, harsh language and violence in later chapters)  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: See first chapter for disclaimer. Not making any money by using the characters.  
  
When The Heat is On Chapter 5  
  
As the mood in the hallway lightened the nurse stepped back into Jimmy's room, closing the door firmly behind her. Amelia smiled wryly. "Nurses around here have a pretty mean attitude."  
  
"Think she was just reacting to your winning personality," Bobby muttered. MacNab certainly didn't have an endearing manner; it usually took a lot to get hospital staff that pissed off. Feeling like it was required under the circumstances he offered the woman his hand. "I'm Bobby Caffey. This is Kim Zambrano, Doherty's ex."  
  
".wife," Amelia finished. An almost smug smile appeared on her lips, she gripped Bobby's hand and shook it firmly. "Miss Zambrano already said. Got some information from your Captain when I got here this morning."  
  
Turning away from the door Kim watched Amelia pluck a small digital device from her pocket and remove a delicate looking plastic stick from its top. "Cap was here?"  
  
Amelia nodded, eyes fixing on Kim as she peered out from beneath the baseball cap. "Yeah, I ran into him at the elevators. Didn't hear much I didn't already know from the original case report. While we're waiting around for nurse wretched to finish her stuff could I ask you some questions?" She gestured to a small waiting area a little further down the hall.  
  
Kim shrugged but started moving towards the bench anyway. "I guess. We weren't on duty last night though, I don't think we'll help much."  
  
"Never know what'll end up being useful in a case," Amelia said. She tried smiling at Kim but pleasantries just didn't seem to fit the woman. Dropping onto the bench Amelia began tapping buttons on the device. "Your Captain told me you visited Doherty last night."  
  
Before perching herself on the edge of the bench Kim cast a glance in Bobby's direction, seeking some sort of assurance to ease the remaining nerves. He settled on the arm of the bench close behind her, settling a hand on one of her shoulders. "Yeah," Kim said softly. "Bobby drove me over as soon as we got the call about Jimmy. I spoke to him for a little while before we left the hospital." A frown reappeared as Kim stared at the object in the woman's hands, she'd started tracing the plastic stick or whatever it was across its screen. "Are you recording this?"  
  
Confusion had Amelia blinking as she looked up. "Recording?" Comprehension suddenly dawned and she laughed softly. "Ah no. Just making notes, they'll help me pull things together later. I guess palmtops aren't exactly standard equipment in fire stations."  
  
"No," Kim said and shook her head. Would make sense that the woman wanted everything written down, tiny details slipped people's memories so easily. She'd learnt that pretty quickly during her marriage to Jimmy. He conveniently forgot a lot of things, including on occasion the fact that he was married at all.  
  
"City's barely managed to computerise the rigs," Bobby said. He smiled wryly. New York wasn't exactly cutting edge when it came to new technology. Falling budgets and necessary updates weren't exactly compatible.  
  
"Right. Did Mr Doherty mention having seen anything odd at the fire?"  
  
Kim frowned and shook her head. "Odd? What do you mean?"  
  
Biting her lip, Amelia shrugged. "You know, anyone hanging around the building when they arrived, anything combustible and out of place under those stairs?"  
  
"No, nothing like that." Sighing with frustration Kim dragged a hand through her hair.  
  
"Look, Jimmy didn't even know it was arson for sure until he came round after the surgery," Bobby murmured. "Said the way the fire was burning didn't seem right but fires are never predictable you know."  
  
Smiling, Amelia lifted her head. If there was one thing she knew about, it was fire. "I know. There were suspicions about the blaze from the start but until the building had cooled off enough we couldn't get in there and find out for sure." She shifted back on the bench, gesturing towards Jimmy's room with the plastic stylus. "What exactly did he say was odd?" There'd been plenty of evidence to gather at the factory once she'd been cleared to enter the building but there were still gaps in the story. People so often believed that fire destroyed all evidence, didn't work that way though. For every clue destroyed another was created by the arson attempt.  
  
"There wasn't enough damage to the staircase for it to drop like that," Kim said with certainty. "Jimmy's been a fireman a long time, he knew how to work in burning buildings. If he said the staircase wasn't wrecked enough for a collapse then it wasn't. He told us there were a couple of flare-ups near the staircase but the supports hadn't been touched. The guy who did this must've tampered with it somehow."  
  
Breaking in again, Bobby leaned closer to Kim. She could feel the heat of his body against her back. Lately she'd been all too away of Bobby physically. It wasn't the first time but it was the first time since the night she'd welcomed him into her bed and into her body.  
  
"You find any evidence of that?" he asked. "Fire must've been put out pretty quickly after Jimmy and Sweet were pulled out."  
  
Not fast enough for Amelia though. "The damage to that section of the warehouse wasn't too extensive. Flare-ups there were put out to reach your guys." Until the investigation had cleared all the fire fighters she couldn't release all the details. "It looked like some bolts on the weight bearing struts had been removed. I scoured that area of the warehouse but they weren't there, unless." she said, lowering her voice, ".one of your guys moved them out of there."  
  
"No way," Kim snapped. Pulling away from Bobby she raised a finger in warning. "None of our people are that damn incompetent or corrupt."  
  
"Woah!" Frowning deeply Amelia snapped the palmtop shut. "I wasn't accusing anyone. Things happen unintentionally when a situation gets hectic."  
  
"They wouldn't do it even then Miss MacNab," Bobby murmured.  
  
"Mac. Just call me Mac." At the sound of a door opening she shot to her feet.  
  
Kim and Bobby rose too, both watching the nurse as she began to approach. "Can we see him now?" Kim asked.  
  
The nurse nodded, her glance at Amelia wary to say the least. "As long as you don't excite him. Mr Doherty needs as much rest as possible."  
  
That was all Amelia needed to hear. The data she'd got from the ex-wife and her protective pal was useful but given the choice between them and Doherty, she'd take the eye witness every time. Leaving Kim and Bobby to follow in her wake she strode down the hallway and into Jimmy's room. The dark haired fire fighter lay propped up against the pillows. His skin was pale where it wasn't covered by bandages and dressings but he looked alert and lifted his head as she approached.  
  
"Nice to see you again," he muttered softly. "Was a little busy when you burst in before."  
  
Amelia nodded and slid off her jacket, dumping it onto the chair by his bed before she sat down. "Mr Doherty, I'm Amelia MacNab, the fire investigator."  
  
"I was expecting you at some point," Jimmy said softly. He settled back, readying himself for the tirade of questions to come. 


	6. A Trail of Breadcrumbs

Title: When The Heat Is On Chapter 6 (6/?)  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: The show's characters don't belong to me, won't make any money by writing about them.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Mr Doherty. I need you to go through everything you did from the minute your truck arrived at the fire." The woman had barely stripped off her jacket, which in the building heat of the day seemed totally unnecessary, and she was already getting down to business. Plucking the grey t-shirt that'd been concealed beneath away from her abdomen, Amelia raised her brows expecting an answer.  
  
Jimmy paused, glancing over at Kim and Bobby. They'd moved into the room after MacNab but remained hovering by the door. Seeing they weren't going to stop what was going on for now, Jimmy turned back to the woman. The words emerged slowly at first, his tone a little husky. "Me and Sweet were the first ones in. Person who called the fire in said there mighta been someone in there on the second floor. Cap sent us in to check it out. First floor was burning pretty bad in the rear, it'd started spreading but the front door and the stairs were practically clear."  
  
Shrugging, Jimmy glanced at Kim and Bobby again then looked back, locking his gaze onto Amelia's hazy green eyes. They'd all worked fires, they'd all understood what was coming next. "Seemed strange that if someone was on the second floor they hadn't got down already. Path was clear right to the door."  
  
The plastic stylus paused against the tiny computer's screen. Amelia's brows rose slowly. Doherty might've had a point. She'd heard about the 911 call, it'd sounded legitimate at the time but linking Doherty's observations of the fire to the caller's words suddenly cast some doubt on the matter. "A victim upstairs could've had compromised health, smoke inhalation might've rendered them unconscious."  
  
"No way," Jimmy murmured. For a moment he smiled, content in his confidence, flashing dimples briefly. He was battered and bruised but there wasn't any dimming of the sparkle in Jimmy's eyes. "No where near enough smoke at that point. Concrete ceiling anyway, smoke wasn't really seeping up through there. They woulda had to have been knocked out to keep them upstairs."  
  
"No sign of any victims in there anyway," Amelia added. If the fire had gutted the place she would've readily admitted there was a possibility a body could still be lurking in the debris but the place had been checked thoroughly, no sign of anyone. Without voicing it they all knew now that the call had most likely come from the arsonist himself. As if to confirm it further, Amelia nodded. "Dispatch is location a copy of the call for me. Mr Doherty, you took point heading towards the stairs, correct?"  
  
"Jimmy," Doherty said softly. If the woman was going to grill him the least she could do was make an attempt at easing the grim mood. "Yeah. I've got seniority over Sweet. We scanned what we could see of the first floor but we moved directly towards the stairs. A crate beneath them was smouldering, another one two feet away was burning fast but the stairs were fine. They felt solid at first. I got about two thirds of the way up, then boom!" The word had come from his own lips but Jimmy flinched anyway, the images that now must've been running through his head in time with his description making his breathing hitch.  
  
"We started falling." He sucked in a breath, dark eyes focusing on empty space at the bottom of the bed. "Couldn't stop myself dropping. I hit the floor hard, saw flames catch on the wreckage around us. Couldn't see Sweet. He'd been right there but I couldn't see him."  
  
Jimmy turned, disbelief drawing heavy creases on his brow, darkening his eyes and focused on Amelia. "Must've passed out after that. There was no warning, no reason for it to just fall apart like that."  
  
Concerned with the changes in Jimmy's breathing, Kim moved to his bedside. She settled a hip against the thin mattress and took one of Jimmy's hands into hers. "It's OK Jimmy. They'd messed with the stairs, you couldn't have known."  
  
A frown appeared briefly on Amelia's brow. "Jimmy, when you reached the staircase did you notice anything else around it? Some bolts were removed from the staircase, they weren't located in the rubble later."  
  
He took a moment to think back, his eyes slipping shut. Jimmy shook his head, his expression slightly grim. "Floor there was clear apart from those crates. There was something on top of the one that wasn't burning bad but it was only one thing, too small to be bolts." Dark eyes fluttered open quickly, confusion shining in them more than ever. "It was a book of matches, one of those things you pick up in bars. Didn't think about it then, didn't seem too outta place."  
  
Now that there'd been a confirmation of arson the matches meant a lot, especially to Amelia, Bobby thought. The instant Jimmy'd mentioned the matches MacNab had leaned forward in her seat, eyes rising from the palmtop, stylus pausing on its screen. Some idea had taken flight in her mind and it seemed like an important one.  
  
"What about accelerants?" she asked hoarsely. "Smell anything in there?"  
  
"Nothing," Jimmy said firmly. That didn't mean much though, anything from fabric to beer could be used to get a fire blazing well. "You didn't find any signs of one later?"  
  
"There were signs of trailing at the rear of the warehouse but we're still waiting on the results of the swabs to find out what was used." It was terminology they were all familiar with. When an accelerant was poured onto a surface and lit it left distinctive discolouration behind afterwards that was known as trailing.  
  
Amelia slid the stylus back into the palmtop and snapped the device shut. She stood, tugged the jacket back on and put the computer into her pocket. "That's all I need to check on for now. I might have to talk to you again once I've had a chance to analyse the evidence." Suddenly she seemed to have enough to work with though. Amelia nodded to the others. "Thanks for your time."  
  
"Bye," Kim murmured.  
  
As Amelia reached the door Jimmy called out from the bed. His breathing still hitched slightly but his voice was stronger. "MacNab?"  
  
She turned slowly, dark brows rising. "Yeah?"  
  
"Catch him. Make sure you get this fuck. I want him put away for life."  
  
That probably wasn't possible but Amelia nodded anyway. "I will." Amelia turned away and walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind her.  
  
With her seat now vacant Bobby moved away from the doorway and settled in it. He leaned forward, planting his elbows on his thighs. "You feeling OK?"  
  
"Sore," Jimmy said softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He still looked pale, his eyelids seeming heavy now too. "Expected it though." Tired eyes turned to Kim. "You tell Joey what happened?"  
  
Kim nodded and lifted a hand to brush Jimmy's hair back from his forehead. "Yeah. I promised I'd bring him to see you later. We've got a shift but we'll stop by to check on you when we bring in runs. Get some rest OK Jimmy?" She bent and brushed her lips over Jimmy's brow. He didn't respond though, his eyes had already fluttered shut, sleep claiming him. 


	7. The Smoke Clears

When The Heat Is On Chapter 7  
  
Title: When the Heat Is On (7/?)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Warnings: Violence and adult language in later chapters  
  
Disclaimer: See the first chapter, characters not mine, no profit made.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Flames licked over his skin, burning his flesh with their red-hot kisses. A scream of agony tore loose of his seared throat. He could barely speak, barely draw in breath. Something heavy had disrupted his fall, connecting with his chest as his sudden freefall had ended. Delicate bone had given way all too easily, piercing fragile flesh. At first he'd been able to call out with some strength in his voice, other yells of pain, familiar voices echoing his own but now there was just his own wheezing, his whimpers, the crackle of flame as it ate away at his flesh.  
  
Smoke parted, shadowy figures moving beyond. He stretched out his hand towards them, crying out weakly. They didn't seem to hear, either they didn't know he was there or they couldn't locate him in the gloom. Agony stabbed through his chest, blazed in his legs. Coughing against the acrid smoke made it worse, broken ribs grating together. Sweet darkness danced at the edge of his vision, giving in was so tempting but if he did that they might not find him until it was too late.  
  
His gloved hands scrabbled at the floor, trying to find some purchase to move away from the all-consuming heat. His fingers gripped fabric, felt solid flesh beneath it. Sweet, he was still there. "Hang on," Jimmy gasped. No reply came. He followed the line of Sweet's jacket, fingers drifting over his neck, over his cheek, accidentally touched an eye, still open and staring. No! There was no movement, not even a gasping breath.  
  
A ragged cry burst free of Jimmy's throat, monitors' alarms shrieking in his room. Dark eyes opened fast, darting around the hospital room in panic as he tried to find his friend. He struggled to draw in deep breaths to halt the squealing alarm. They'd both gotten out of the fire in time, the hospital was the safest place he could be. A movement in the doorway caught his eye, a silhouette blending back into the shadows of the hallway. For a moment Jimmy thought he heard the gently creak of worn leather but then there was just the eco of feet rushing towards the room.  
  
Jimmy lifted a hand in surrender to the nurse that appeared. "Just a nightmare."  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The refrigerator door slid shut and Kim turned back to the table. She shook the bottle of juice in her hand vigorously as she dropped back into her seat. The first half of their shift had been running heavy but now thankfully there was a lull. There hadn't been much time to talk with cases stacking up. Leaning closer to Bobby, Kim frowned. "One minute she was caught up in all those questions, next minute she was running out the door looking like she'd seen a ghost. I don't get it."  
  
"Who knows?" He reached past Kim, drawing a newspaper closer. "Could be she just needed to get some work done, like she said."  
  
A wry smile tugged at one corner of Kim's mouth. Somehow it didn't ring true, the change in MacNab's behaviour had been too sharp, happened too quickly. She'd even sounded polite as she'd scuttled out of the room. The juice slid down Kim's throat, leaving a welcome cool trail in her chest. "That's another weird thing," she said suddenly. She set the bottle down on the table and turned in her chair. "The jacket. Its in the nineties outside, you'd have to be nuts to wear a leather jacket in that sort of heat."  
  
Bobby chuckled softly and set the newspaper aside. As he leaned closer, locking eyes dancing with humour onto hers, Bobby nudged his thigh against Kim's. "Getting suspicious about everything now? She was probably just wearing it to store all her investigator junk in the pockets."  
  
Suspicious should've been the one word leaping into Kim's mind about Bobby's touch, intimately and enjoyable were the first ones to appear though. Unexpected warmth slid along her limbs, settled low in Kim's stomach. This sudden awareness should've been making her uncomfortable, instead it turned her voice low and husky as she replied. "All of it just seemed odd."  
  
"You talking about the fire?"  
  
Caught up in the sensations Bobby's touch had created Kim hadn't heard the heavy tread of boots on the stairs or Alex's entrance into the room. She turned away from Bobby quickly, screwing the lid back onto the juice as she stood. Kim paced over to the fridge, trying to burn off the sudden rush of desire that'd flooded her body and divert Alex's attention away from what she must've seen when she'd walked into the kitchen. "The arson investigator that got assigned. Amelia MacNab. You know her?"  
  
There weren't anywhere near as many investigators as fire fighters in the city but usually those that were around were pretty well known. They worked dozens of cases in different NY precincts every year. Plus there was the fact that many of the investigators had started out amongst the troops. It would be truly rare if someone at Camelot hadn't at least heard of MacNab.  
  
Alex's brow furrowed as she propped a hip against the countertop. "I know the name. Wasn't she that fire fighter from the 87th who got trapped in that big hotel blaze about four years ago? They were expecting her not to make it at the time. I figured she'd retired afterwards."  
  
Turning to face the women Bobby hooked an arm over the back of his seat. "I remember that fire, they had half the city's engines out there. Couple of fire fighters were in the basement when a couple of the upper floors came down. Got one out pretty easy, the other had a beam pinning her arm and chest. They were talking about amputating to get her out. You know, Doc might've even been the one to transport her. I think his was one of the rig's still on scene when they got her out."  
  
Four years would fit the timeline perfectly, allowing healing and rehabilitation time and a period to train as a fire investigator. Obviously they'd manage to extract MacNab from the basement without resorting to amputation. They now had an even better source for information on her too, Doc. If there was anything to know, he'd have the details.  
  
Bells rang out through the station, cutting off Kim's chain of thought. The announcement followed, an ambulance was needed at 60th and Shaw. A woman was unresponsive after a fall down stairs, Bobby and Kim were up for another run. Pushing his chair back, Bobby scrambled to his feet then jogged towards the stairs.  
  
Kim returned Alex's wave, calling "see ya" over her shoulder. When she reached the kitchen door Kim paused and turned, something suddenly springing to mind. "Alex, do you remember what the cause of that hotel fire was?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The data flowing across the computer screen was almost hypnotic. Blinds had been drawn across the office windows to block out the almost unbearable glare of the sun but the words on the screen were easily readable in the gloom. She'd been staring at them for almost an hour after she'd typed them, the details transfixing her.  
  
So many similarities there, the unusual distribution of accelerants, the method of creating small blazes, the tampering with the structure. Any of these used alone might've been standard practice for any arsonist but combined they were a familiar MO. Four years seemingly underground then he'd re-emerged, dragging more fire fighters into danger. They'd survived again but next time they might not be so lucky. It was probably a major conflict of interest but she'd had her life torn apart by this guy, it was down to her to take this bastard down. 


	8. Joy of Summer

When the Heat is On Chapter 8  
  
Title: When the Heat is On (8/?)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Warnings: Adult language and violence in later parts.  
  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Characters not mine, no money being made by writing about them.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
As legs went these were just about perfect. They were long, toned and tanned the whole way up. The four-inch heels and short, clingy suit skirt showed them of too damn well. Not a bad ass either, swaying seductively as the woman strode along the sidewalk. Damn if summer weren't the best time of the year, all that flesh on show in the sun.  
  
"Hey officer!" A dark form blotted out the view, a pale skinned, blond haired guy leaning close to the open squad window.  
  
Cursing loudly Bosco thumped a fist against the steering wheel. They were the two most annoying words in the god damn English language. Jag offs just waited for him to find a nice little spot to park the RMP and enjoy what the weather brought out onto the streets before they started yelling them at him.  
  
Ignoring the look of disbelief and disgust on Bosco's face Faith leaned over him and looked up at the guy. "What's wrong sir?"  
  
Confusion clouded the guy's eyes for a moment, his gaze ticking back and forth between the two officers. Slowly he raised his arm, gesturing down the block towards the fire-blackened front of a brick building. "There's some lady digging around in the warehouse down there, messing with the wreckage. I heard on the news the other night that it was like a crime scene. Don't you think people should be stopped doing that? She might be destroying evidence or something."  
  
"Woo-hoo, a real master criminal," Bosco muttered. He looked up, flashing the guy a sugary grin. "We'll go arrest her right away."  
  
The guy watched in disbelief as Bosco waved a hand dismissively. He glanced at Faith, sandy brows rising. She definitely seemed the same one in this partnership. "It's illegal to mess with a crime scene right?"  
  
"Are you sure she's not a police officer sir?" Faith asked. If they didn't get rid of this guy Bos was likely to blow up in his face, heat was getting to him.  
  
Shaking his head the guy slid his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "Wasn't wearing a uniform or a badge or anything. Didn't even look like a plain clothes cop."  
  
Faith cut a glance at Bosco before nodding. He wouldn't be happy with the decision but if he wanted to get back to scooping out women he'd have to agree. "Alright sir, we'll check it out."  
  
Seemingly satisfied the guy stepped back from the squad and took of jogging down the street. Bosco slowly turned to Faith, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks. This is all I wanna spend my time doing, chasin' some moron away from a wrecked building."  
  
"It's the building Doherty and Sweet got hurt in Bos. They're still tryin' to find something to lead them to the guy that did it."  
  
Sighing in frustration Bosco shoved open the driver's side door. "Anyone climbin' under crime scene tape ought a be shot." He climbed out, squinting against the bright sunshine.  
  
Faith rolled the windows of the RMP shut and got out of the car, joining Bosco on the sidewalk. As tough as he acted Bosco still had a soft spot when it came to people getting hurt on the job. He reckoned some of the people deserved it when their own stupidity got them into trouble but the fire fighters were targeted for no reason and that overruled his animosity towards Doherty.  
  
"Went and saw them last night," Faith said as they started down the street. There weren't any official vehicles apart from their own parked at the curb, another strike against whoever was in the building.  
  
Bosco shrugged, trying to look disinterested. He'd known Faith'd check on them at some point. News always got around the precinct fast. "How they doin'?"  
  
"They're releasing Sweet tomorrow, broken wrist and some burns don't get you long at Mercy."  
  
"But Doherty's clinging onto his bed there as long as possible, milking all the attention from those nurses right?" Bosco muttered. Lucky bastard.  
  
Raising her brows Faith nudged open the smoke stained door of the building. The police seal on its frame had been cut. The acrid scent of smoke and burning still hung in the air. Shafts of light highlighted piles of wreckage on the floor, shining through the windows vented by the fire fighters. "They practically sawed him in half to repair the damage to his body Bosco. Considering it only happened three days ago he was looking pretty good. Another week and they might let him home."  
  
"Great. There she is." Wasn't anyone he recognised from the precinct or Camelot.  
  
At the rear of the building the woman crouched, hands delving into a pile of charred wood. She rose slowly dusting one latex-gloved hand against the thigh of the coveralls she wore. The arms of the all-in-one were wrapped around her waist making it look like a pair of oversized pants. Sweat had the olive drab t-shirt she wore beneath sticking to her back and chest.  
  
Bosco wolf whistled under his breath and began picking his way through the rubble. He might've had to break off appraising one damn fine ass but another had dropped right in his lap. "Excuse me ma'am? Didn't you see the police tape on the door?" Crime scene, no entry."  
  
The woman turned swiping her cap back from her forehead with the back of one hand. "Except for authorised personnel." She reached into the pocket of the navy blue cover-alls and removed a badge in a leather case. "Amelia MacNab, fire investigation. You always do follow-up checks on crime scenes in your jurisdiction officer?"  
  
"Boscorelli. Call me Bosco." He shook his head, offering a smile. "Just makin' an extra effort for a friend, fire station's right across from the precinct house."  
  
Faith rolled her eyes and hooked her thumbs into her belt. "A jogger saw you looking around in here, thought you might be tamperin' with evidence."  
  
A narrow eyed look came in her direction from Bosco. She always had to make him look like an idiot in front of a good-looking woman. "We were checkin' the area anyway. You find anythin' in here?"  
  
"Just the same stuff I found in here the first time round. Definite signs of arson just nothing to tell me who the hell did it." Exactly like the fire that'd made her unfit to continue working on the engines, plenty of evidence, no suspects. She'd been hoping that somehow this time things were different. A brow rose as an idea came into Amelia's head. "Were you guys on scene that night?" Police weren't always called to an active fire but it happened sometimes.  
  
"Came out after we heard fire fighters had been injured," Faith said with a shrug. "They wanted crowd control so they could finish working on the place."  
  
Ah ha. Automatically Amelia reached into her pocket for her palmtop. "You see anyone suspicious hanging around in the crowd? Young guy probably." That'd been what the 911 called had sounded like.  
  
Bosco shook his head. They'd been a little too busy trying to find out how badly Doherty and Sweet had been hurt at the time. "Didn't notice anyone like that. Could ask around though, see if anyone else noticed anythin', and let you know if we get any news."  
  
"I'd appreciate it." Dejected Amelia snapped the computer shut and shoved it back into her pocket. When she pulled her hand back out there was a business card tucked between her fingers. She offered it to Bosco as she stepped past him. "I'm heading back to my office. Give me a call if you get anything. See ya." Amelia returned Faith's smile and picked her way out of the building.  
  
Smirking Bosco tucked the card into his breast pocket. This was turning out to be one of the best damn days. "Result," he murmured to himself.  
  
"Let's just lock the place up and reseal the doors," Faith said with a long- suffering sigh. 


	9. Down Come the Battlements

When the Heat is On Chapter 9  
  
Title: When the Heat is On (9/?) Rating: PG-13 Author: Angela Penfold Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Characters not mine, not making profit by writing about them.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
The hospital was quiet at night, no groups of visitors blocking the hallway, few traumas sending staff rushing through the building and the best thing of all, barely any nurses around to question where she was going and what she was doing. She'd made arrangements with the hospital to be able to check on Doherty daily and get updates of his and Sweet's condition up until they were discharged but midnight drop ins might be taking that agreement a little too far. The urge to come by and spend time working in the room had been bugging her all evening. Working on another open case hadn't helped, neither had reading an Ed McBain novel or going jogging. In the end she'd given up, grabbed the Doherty file and palmtop and jumped in the car.  
  
Doherty's room was bathed in darkness when she arrived. The still figure propped up in the bed was barely outlined by the lights from the hallway, the same as it had been the two other times she'd stolen in during the nights since the accident. Amelia tried to keep the peace intact as she stripped off her hooded sweatshirt, letting the cool breeze from the AC wash over her bare arms. At night she didn't have to worry about the sun doing further harm to her fragile skin and there wasn't anyone around to gawp at the damage the building collapse had done to her body.  
  
She settled onto the chair she'd strategically placed against the wall by the window on her second visit, more natural light to see the screen by. No brilliant ideas had come to her during her midnight outings but just being in Doherty's presence made her work harder, gave her the motivation to keep going on the case when it seemed like they were making no progress. A week had passed and there were still precious little in the way of clues.  
  
Yawning softly Amelia swept her hands back through her hair. The cap had been left at home like the leather jacket and her dark curls fell free to her shoulders. While she powered up the palmtop and began opening files she chanced a glance in Jimmy's direction. According to the reports she'd got from his doctor he was healing well. With burns there was always a chance of infection but Jimmy'd been lucky, his were healing clean. The surgical incision would take the longest to recover from; the muscles they'd had to cut through were delicate. Wouldn't be long before Jimmy was released and she wouldn't have a reason to have such constant contact with him. Maybe that would be a good thing, she was getting too caught up in the case.  
  
Mentally chastising herself, Amelia picked up the stylus and began jabbing at the screen. The personal involvement with this case had gone beyond chasing the bastard who'd nearly destroyed her life, a level of attraction she hadn't felt since the collapse was pushing its way in now too. One word from anyone to her boss about this and she'd be fired, in his mind professionalism was paramount. Sighing in frustration Amelia flopped back in her seat and stole a glance at the bed once more. Her eyes widened as in the dark she saw Jimmy smile. "Shit," she whispered.  
  
He shifted in the bed, carefully propping himself up further against the pillows. Dimples appeared when he raised a brow and his smile broadened. "Figured I'd catch you in here eventually. Only ever heard you creeping out before."  
  
The smile was unnerving, sending tiny ripples of pleasure through her system. Raising a hand Amelia self-consciously covered the road map of scars that crept over her shoulder and down her upper arm. She couldn't help frowning, trying to cover up the insecurities that were growing. "Part of the job. In every arson case where someone is injured we're supposed to keep daily documentation on the condition and prognosis of all victims from their admission till their discharge."  
  
"Yeah," Jimmy said softly. He gestured towards the hallway. "Heard you talking to the nurse about that this morning. Unless you know something I don't about what my health's gonna be like in the next few hours this would seem like a personal visit Amelia. These midnight trips don't have anything to do with the investigation, do they?"  
  
"Mac," Amelia corrected automatically. Feeling her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment she turned away, staring out of the window. She heard Jimmy shift in the bed, heard his husky voice begin to emerge again.  
  
"Not a crime to feel attracted to someone Mac, beautiful women should never be shy anyway."  
  
The frown had turned into a scowl when she moved to face him again. "What? I'm neither shy nor afraid Mr Doherty. Why should any woman admit an attraction to any guy who already knows how great he looks?"  
  
Jimmy shrugged slowly, the almost arrogant smile still playing over his lips. "Even stunning guys need to hear it now and then." He lifted a hand, gesturing with one finger towards her body. "There is one thing you're hiding, your scars. I've seen you burying them under the jacket, seen you hide all that hair and a pretty face under that cap. Kim told me what happened in that hotel, guess it makes us kindred spirits."  
  
Smiling wryly, Amelia shook her head. "Doesn't make us anything Mr Doherty. I'm in this room for one reason only, that's to work your case. The more hours I put in on it the more it'll come together." At least she prayed it would come together.  
  
"Jimmy," he said firmly. "If I've gotta call you Mac then you're calling me Jimmy. Come here."  
  
"What?" Amelia stared at him, confusion in her green eyes.  
  
"Come here," Jimmy repeated. "At least if you're gonna continue lying about what you're doing here you can do it from the side of the bed. The nurses won't come running to bitch at me for being too loud at night when I answer your questions that way."  
  
Her eyes darkened, from anger at him seeing through her ruse so easily and from the rush of the desire that came at the thought of being so close to him. Closing her fingers around the tiny computer Amelia stood up. She moved across to his bed slowly, a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. "You're pretty sure of yourself Jimmy. I didn't come to watch you sleep." Awkwardly Amelia settled herself near the foot of the bed, perching on the edge of the mattress.  
  
"Right, you came to question me. Those glances you snuck at me before you knew I was awake were just a bonus right?"  
  
Amelia chuckled, shaking her head. There was no chance of pulling away when his charm was so constant, it wormed its way through her defences even when she tried to bolster them. She leaned into his touch as he took her hand, drew her up the bed until she was sitting near his chest. Managing a smile, Amelia looked him right in the eyes. What she saw had heat sliding through her stomach, made her pulse start racing. "You know you're irresistible. I've heard about your reputation Jimmy."  
  
He smiled in response, using one finger to stroke the delicate skin of the underside of her wrist. "I've heard about yours too, did some asking around." The one thing he'd heard from all sources was that work was this woman's life. "Not everything's about work Mac."  
  
She shook her head, fear beginning to flutter through her body. "I came here tonight to work."  
  
"Tonight's not about the investigation," Jimmy said huskily. "It's about what else has been building here, about this." Keeping a hold on Amelia's wrist, Jimmy drew her close and settled his mouth over hers. He swallowed her instant gasp, kept the kiss gentle until the following groan emerged and Amelia gave herself over to him. 


	10. Temperature Spikes

Title: When the Heat is On Chapter (10/?)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, no profit made in writing about them.  
  
Laying a hand at the nape of her neck Kim tried to massage some of the tension away from her muscles. Tonight the shift seemed to have gone on forever, case after case, run after run packed into the eight hours. Most had been tedious, no action to draw her mind off of the effect of being confined in the rig with Bobby for so long. The heat seemed to exacerbate every touch, every movement, and every word of conversation until the air around them crackled with energy. There didn't look like there'd be any break in the heat any time soon but she had to break this atmosphere surrounding them, she had to take a step in that direction with Bobby before the attraction to him drove her insane.  
  
Footsteps sounded on the stairs above her, echoing down into the garage where she stood. Bobby's long legs emerged first, then the rest of his solid frame. A smile appeared as he spotted her hanging around by the doors. "You waiting for me?" he asked, raising a brow. "Can drop you home if you want a lift."  
  
"Not going straight home," Kim said, shrugging. She slid her hands into the pockets of her pants. She hadn't felt this nervous about asking a guy out since she was sixteen. "My mom's got Joey for the night. Figured I'd take the chance to go out for a few drinks while I could."  
  
"And you want me to come?" Bobby asked. He paused next to her, glad to feel a gentle breeze, it'd been way too hot all day.  
  
Nerves fluttered in Kim's stomach. In recent months their friendship had deepened, settling to the level it'd been at before the shooting. Would acting on the attraction now destroy it all again? She wasn't sure she could handle losing it all. Drawing in a deep breath Kim made her decision, she had to try or the awkwardness that would emerge would destroy it all anyway. "Yeah. It'd kinda make up for the barbecue we never got to finish."  
  
He nodded slowly, the smile again tugging at his lips. "Sure. I could do with a drink, time to unwind." Alcohol would burn the memories from his mind, maybe help him sleep tonight. Work, the heat wave, the drama of what had happened to Jimmy had all combined lately to keep his mind racing into the early hours. He'd lain awake half the night, images he'd wanted to forget running over and over again in his brain. Lifting a hand as he stepped back towards his car, Bobby ran his fingers over his chest, feeling the raised scars beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. Tonight he needed to wipe his mind clean and for a little while forget.  
  
Relief slid through Kim in a long wave. He'd agreed more easily than she'd thought he would. Smiling she followed Bobby down the sidewalk, they were taking the first step to calming the storm that was building between them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The interior of the bar was dark and cool, far quieter than the bustle of the streets outside. It was the perfect place to spend a hot summer night. About thirty people seemed to have had the same idea she had, retreating inside to beat the heat with some cold booze. Bobby slid into a booth at the back, just metres away from a tiny dance floor. It was more private back there, a better setting for what she'd have to do, have to say.  
  
Still feeling the nervous tremors in her stomach Kim slipped into the booth. When things had come to this point before she'd handled it wrongly. He'd been hurt so badly by her rash behaviour and she'd almost lost one of the most important things in her life.  
  
"Beer?"  
  
Kim blinked in confusion as Bobby's voice cut through her train of thought. "What?"  
  
He grinned, the gesture changing the quiver in her stomach from one of anxiety to one of pleasure, desire. The day he'd been shot had made her face up to so many things, the feeling of loss as his life had hung in the balance had been unbearable. Maybe it'd always been their destiny that they should end up together, she didn't know. All she was certain of was that this time she wouldn't let self-doubt ruin what could be beautiful.  
  
"Do you want a beer?" Bobby repeated.  
  
"Ah, sure," Kim murmured, almost sure she was blushing. Casting a glance in the direction of the bar, she watched an approaching waitress. "Might have to try one of their cocktails later, heard from Alex that the Golden Bull's Eye's meant to be pretty lethal."  
  
Snorting softly Bobby turned to the waitress, simply giving their order before turning back to Kim. The woman seemed a little displeased by the curt behaviour but she scrawled their order on her note pad before moving back to the bar.  
  
Bobby relaxed back in the booth, one arm stretching out on the headrest behind him. His body shifted slightly to the beat of the music flowing from the jukebox in the corner. His dark eyes were still though, focused on Kim. It was almost as though he could sense that there was something building between them tonight. "You see Jimmy this morning?"  
  
Small talk, that was definitely something she could handle for now. Kim wrapped her fingers tightly around the neck of the beer bottle as soon as it was set down on the table in front of her. "Yeah," Kim said, smiling as she lifted the bottle to her lips. "Think he's looking forward to getting out of there. A week in bed's driven him stir crazy. He even seemed to be looking forward to that investigator going to see him."  
  
A wry grin tugged at Bobby's lips. "Can tell he's feeling better when he starts hitting on unsuspecting women."  
  
A few months ago, heck even a few weeks ago the offhand comment would've cut her deeply but she'd done so much thinking lately, done some growing. Being with Jimmy was easy for her, neither of them had any expectations. As Bobby had told her once it was easier for her to be with Jimmy than to work at a real relationship. Trouble was that wasn't enough anymore, she didn't want easy. Sleeping with Jimmy no longer eased that hollow feeling in her heart, Bobby did. She couldn't ignore that fact anymore.  
  
Kim stood, keeping her beer bottle held tightly in her palm while she slid out of the booth. "Come on," she said softly, nodding towards the dance floor.  
  
Bobby's dark brows rose, his eyes following the direction of her gesture. She wanted him to dance. Growling playfully Bobby grabbed his beer and followed her out into the middle of the wooden floor. "I don't normally do this," Bobby muttered.  
  
"But for me anything." Smiling, Kim slid her arms around Bobby's neck.  
  
Two other couples were already moving around the enclosed space, the gentle beat of Lisa Loeb's 'Stay' keeping all movements slow. Bobby's arms closed around her waist, drawing Kim against his body. He could definitely feel the mood surrounding them now; the softening of his dark eyes to a shade that rivalled melted chocolate was a sure sign of that knowledge. The contact between them was arousing, had heat sliding low in Kim's belly, had Bobby swallowing hard. "Kim," he whispered hoarsely, fear stealing his voice away. They'd been in this situation before and he'd been hurt, his heart shattered.  
  
A soft smile graced Kim's lips, her empty hand coming down to cradle his cheek. She could feel the day's growth of stubble against her palm and it made her pulse race. "It's OK," Kim said softly. "This time I'm sure, Bobby. I want this." With him so close the need was eating her alive. "Please."  
  
For a moment she thought he'd pull back, hesitation keeping him rooted in place, then he moved and relief practically bought tears to her eyes. Bobby drew her tighter against him and lowered his head, his lips capturing hers in a kiss they both craved with every cell of their bodies. If this was what she had to look forward to forever she would take it greedily with both hands and never let go. 


	11. Lightning Strikes

When The Heat is On Chapter 11  
  
Title: When the Heat is On (11/?)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Warnings: Violence and adult language  
  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, just playing with 'em for a while.  
  
Notes: Sorry for the delay, overtime at work seriously cut into my writing time. I have created a chapter that fits after chapter 10 but due to its scenes of a sexual nature I have not posted it to fanfiction.net. If you are over 17 and wish to read this chapter, please email me privately.  
  
Flames licked at the match, slowly consuming the wood until they washed over his fingertips. Pain seared his skin and made him smile. Just before the match extinguished itself he dropped it and watched his latest creation burst into life. Fire was beautiful, its subtle colours changing with the consumption of different substances. It rivalled the Mona Lisa every time it was born. The delicate scent of the smoke tickled his nose, brought up a corresponding warmth in the pit of his stomach. Another masterpiece created by a genius, a second chance to bring death to those that deserved it.  
  
He plucked the phone from his pocket, smirked as he dialled. It rang for a moment before the confident voice answered at the other end. "911. What service do you require?"  
  
"Fire," he squealed, injecting fear into his voice. "Christ, the bar on the corner of 61st and Rosewood is on fire. There's a guy inside, owner I think. I can hear him screaming. God, he's burning. I can't get to him." He punched the off button, laughing softly as he slid the phone back into his pocket. They would come and he would show them the beauty of what they had tried to extinguish.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"55 David responding."  
  
Sending the car accelerating down the street, Bosco flipped on the sirens. The heat had the city going nuts. They'd had four calls in the last hour and now there'd been a report of a fire two blocks from them. Fire and rescue'd be there in six minutes but with victims trapped every second counted. They'd both been in situations like this before and while they weren't easy, neither had ever really found themselves backing down from them.  
  
Faith craned forward in her seat, straining against her seatbelt to peer at the smoke rolling out of a building further down the street. A few flames licked at the front windows but it was the rear of the roof that seemed to be pouring out most of the smoke. People were crowded in a group in the street but no one was moving forward and no one was coming out of the bar. Her fingers scrabbled at the belt release as Bosco pulled the squad into the curb. "Split the search if the owner's still inside. I'll take the front, you take the back," she murmured.  
  
Bosco grinned, practically tearing off his seatbelt. The adrenalin rush was what he lived for, it was fabulous. "Deal." The guy probably wasn't still inside anyway, wouldn't have taken long for someone to rush out.  
  
Together they clambered out of the car, jogged towards the building. The crowd in the street shifted, a rail thin woman coming towards them. "There's someone in there," she announced breathlessly. "He was shouting until just a second ago."  
  
Looked like they were going in after all, yee goddamn haw. He wasn't stupid or suicidal but since the guy inside had stopped shouting it was likely he was dead or dying and needed to be freed from the building. Fire engines were probably still minutes away, they wouldn't get here in time. Exchanging glances Faith and Bosco nodded. Bosco took off for the alley that ran down the side of the building. Behind him he could hear Faith instructing the crowd to stay back, she'd always been the people person.  
  
Smoke drifted down the alleyway like dark ribbons on the wind. Red light flickered against the windows, the crackle of fire growing louder as he entered the courtyard at the rear of the building. The smoke was thicker here, rolling out around the door and pouring out through a window shattered by the heat. Gingerly Bosco laid a hand against the door, testing for heat, at least he'd learnt that much from fire and rescue. Good, it was barely warm; he shouldn't get himself fried just getting inside. Drawing in a deep breath Bosco shoved open the door and ducked inside.  
  
Heat washed over him instantly, searing his face as he inched down the hall he'd entered. Through the gloom he saw the front door open, Faith's body filling its frame briefly. Smoke seeped past his lips, invading his lungs with each breath. Looked like there was a pretty clear path to the rear door from the bar itself. Owner must've got disorientated in the darkness, unable to get himself out. Blazes burned bright in the main room, rapidly building a wall of fire between him and Faith. If he found the guy they'd have to go out through the rear.  
  
A doorway loomed beside him, a few flames licked at its frame but he shoved through it ready to scan the office for the owner. Little light shone through the blackened window but it was enough to illuminate a crumpled form in the centre of the room. Thank god he'd got the guy. He scrabbled for his radio. "Faith, found him. Get out and I'll meet you at the front."  
  
"Got it," Faith responded, her voice through the radio quiet.  
  
Dropping to his knees, Bosco grabbed at the figure. The body rolled, a smirking face turning away from the floor, a familiar face. Bosco frowned, incomprehension leaving him stupefied even as the guy in front of him sat up and swung the hefty mag-lite. Three words were all Bosco muttered before the heavy flashlight connected at his temple and sent him sprawling. "What the hell?"  
  
The floor rushed up at his head, his body barely co-operating as it impacted against the concrete. Pain instantly rocketed through his head, exploded behind his eyes in a dizzying flash of light. Weakly Bosco scrabbled at the floor, tried to find enough purchase to get away, get to his feet as his attacker loomed over him. A hoarse voice, twisted by anger, emerged as the flashlight came down again, smashing into his ribs with agonising accuracy. "I told you," the figure screamed. "You should've got her out of there, stopped the bitch's meddling."  
  
Another swing, then a fourth, blows raining down on his arms as Bosco curled, trying to protect himself somehow. The pain wouldn't stop, just kept rolling over him in sickening waves. Above him the guy continued his tirade, face twisted with hatred. "She shouldn't fucking be investigating, she needs to be stopped." His final words emerged as the flashlight came down again, impacting hard against Bosco's skull. They were all Bosco could hear as darkness rushed in, took him under. "You're a warning to her Boscorelli. Next time you all die."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Coughing harshly to try and free her lungs of the searing heat and deadly smoke Faith stumbled out onto the street. With the guy found they could get back to a safe distance, let the fire fighters do their work. Wiping her face with the back of her hand, dragging in deep breaths, Faith began to move towards the alley. Bosco was gonna need help getting the owner away from the building.  
  
Smoke began billowing out further over the sidewalk, bringing her to a halt in front of one of the windows. The roar of the flames seemed to be increasing, the glow flickering faster. Christ, the roof was probably coming down, she hoped Bosco was clear. Faith's eyes widened, realisation hitting. The place wasn't collapsing, it was going to blow. Her mind screamed 'move' but before her body could obey the wall of heat hit. Flame and the wave of debris drove her back, threw her to the ground.  
  
For a moment her world was consumed by a red haze, the boom of the explosion taking time to register. As flaming wreckage settled in the street Faith forced herself to her knees. Her ears were ringing, the skin that'd been exposed to the heat stinging but her mind was clear as she stared at the building. Bosco, oh God. Scrambling to her feet Faith staggered towards the alleyway. Her stomach churned, threatening to bring its contents back up as tearful eyes scanned the narrow passage. He wasn't there, no sign of him or the owner at all. He had to have got out, must've before the explosion had torn through the building. Sinking to her knees, her body bathed in the flashing lights of the engines that'd finally arrived, Faith screamed hoarsely. "Bosco!" 


	12. Blind Luck

Title: When the Heat is On (12/?)  
  
Rating: NC-17  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, not going to make any profit in using them. Warnings: Mentions of sex and violence in later chapters. Some adult language in this one.  
  
Notes: This story is set the summer following the second series and in my version of events Bobby survived the shooting.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Pain was the first sensation to register, instantly making him wish unconsciousness would creep over him again. Agony lanced through his head like lightning strikes, an attempt to simply roll his head to move his cheek away from the wet concrete increasing the severity until he wanted to scream. Each breath was torture, raw, red heat washed through his chest in waves, almost freezing his lungs with the effort. Warmth rolled over him from the still burning building but out in the yard he was free of the searing flames. Glass littered the cobbles beneath him and bit into the underside of his body but that didn't matter, he'd found a way out. Careless of the pain it would bring Bosco made the effort to laugh. The guy had fucked up again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Coming round in the burning building had been one of the most frightening experiences of his life. The guy had gone but his legacy had remained, flames slowly consuming the entire room. Just getting to his hands and knees had sent dark spots dancing across his vision. He couldn't afford to give into the sweet darkness, if he did unconsciousness would be permanent. Fighting the nausea and sickening pain every inch of the way Bosco crawled out into the hall.  
  
Smoke filled the space making visibility practically nil, there wasn't any mistaking how severe the fire had got though. The bar itself was unrecognisable, the entire room thoroughly ablaze. Flames rolled across the ceiling, crept down the walls, and, unfortunately, cut off his exit through the rear door. The arsonist had planned all this, would've prevented him getting out on purpose. Swallowing back a whimper Bosco crawled towards the bar. Maybe the fire engines would get there in time, he had to hold onto that hope. Heat seared his skin, made it even harder to breath through the pain. His body trembled with fatigue, he had to rest, had to gather his strength and think. Bosco leaned against the wall and instantly felt himself falling.  
  
The impact against the worn brick floor had his breath exploding from his body. Pain swelled within, seeming to tear out of his chest like the face huggers in Aliens. This time there wasn't any preventing the rush of bile from his stomach. He barely had the time to roll onto his hands and knees before he vomited. The gags that followed did little to ease the agony but strangely his breathing was easier. Bosco lifted his head and swiped the back of his hand across his mouth as he surveyed his new surroundings. Somehow in his panic he'd stumbled through the cellar hatch.  
  
It was gloomier down here, the red glare of the blaze not penetrating the concrete ceiling. Less smoke too, that was what was helping his breathing. At the rear of the cellar, under what must've been the yard, a ray of light shone through a crack in the ceiling. He'd spent enough time at his mom's bar to know what it was he was seeing and it had joy bursting through his mind. In a lot of the old New York bars they bought the kegs of beer in through the basement, saved navigating stairs. They'd simply slide the kegs through a set of wooden doors on the yard floor, roll them down a little ramp and stack them. Now the hatch would provide him with an unexpected exit.  
  
Wrapping an arm protectively around his battered ribcage Bosco got to his feet and in a crouch, rushed towards the light. His aching fingers struggled with the simple bolt before it finally slid back. He muscled open the heavy wooden doors and crawled out onto the cobbles. Wheezing, Bosco dragged in deep breaths of cleaner air as he crawled away from the building. Finally feeling the rasp of the yard's back wall against his fingers he gave in and let his body collapse. By the time the bar exploded and debris rained down around him, he was unconscious.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
A tangle of voices drowned out his laughter, grim remarks first, a familiar hushed tone, then an almost joyous cry. Cool fingers touched his neck, skimmed over his cheek, brought agony as they probed the swollen lump behind his ear. His eyelids were pried open, light seared his brain and had him flinching away as someone checked his pupils. Bosco raised an arm, flailed at the figure beside him to at least temporarily stop the torture. "Watch it," he rasped.  
  
A relieved chuckle ran out beside him. "He's awake. Someone let Yokas back here." Gentle fingers kept Bosco in place when he tried to rise. "Woah, you're not in any state to get back to your squad yet man."  
  
Forcing his eyes open Bosco aimed a sneer in Bobby's direction. "Ridin' in that thing'd be less painful than what you're doing to me." A groan punctuated his words as Kim's hands spanned his chest, exerted unbearable pressure on fractured ribs. Shudders wracked his body, trying to breathe through that sort of pain was nearly impossible.  
  
A mask was fitted over his mouth by Kim, the sweet flow of oxygen into his lungs easing his gasps. His head turned to the left as Faith and another woman came into view. For a moment he didn't recognise the second figure, dark curls fell free down past her shoulders. As Bobby carefully rolled Bosco's head back to mid-line, slid a collar round his neck, recognition dawned. It was the fire investigator. News about the nature of the fire, about the assault must've spread fast. The pair crouched close by as Bosco was rolled onto a backboard, the straps being tightened around his body. Most of the treatment was just precautionary but it was necessary.  
  
"How you doing Bos?" Faith asked softly. Her fingers trembled as she reached out and skimmed hair back from his blood-smeared forehead.  
  
A weary smile tugged at one corner of his mouth beneath his mask. Bosco's hand rose, tangled with Faith's. "Feel like I met Tyson."  
  
Frowning softly, Faith glanced at Bobby. "It wasn't the fire that hurt him?"  
  
Bobby's eyes were dark and grim as he slid a BP cuff around Bosco's upper arm. "No way. This was an assault Faith. Someone beat the crap out of him."  
  
Releasing Faith's hand for a moment Bosco tugged the mask away from his face. "Guy played dead in the office. Found him and he just started swinging with a flashlight."  
  
Kim fitted the mask back over Bosco's face. "Keep it on. As if it wasn't bad enough you sucked in all that smoke, you've probably got a collapsed lung too."  
  
Determined to pass on as much information as possible before he was moved to the hospital, Bosco dragged the mask of again. His red-rimmed eyes fixed on Amelia; worry had already lined her forehead. "Said it was a warning to you. Wants the investigation stopped."  
  
"Fuck," Amelia whispered softly. She'd had a feeling about the fire's origin as soon as she'd heard about the call. The news was worse than she'd feared though, he was using friends against her, blackmailing until she shut the investigation down.  
  
Standing at either end of the backboard, Bobby and Kim hoisted Bosco onto a gurney. Even as he was moved he kept his attention focused on Amelia. "I know the guy." He continued as surprise widened her eyes. "The jogger. The day we found you at the warehouse a jogger told us someone was digging around in the wreckage, told us to stop you. It was him today. Don't let him stop this, gotta get him."  
  
A gleam of hope returned to Amelia's green eyes. She squared her shoulders as she stood. The arsonist was getting sloppy, making mistakes as he grew more frustrated. These slip-ups would be his downfall. "I'm not going to give up. I'm going to need as much information as possible though. Get you a sketch artist, run the details we've got through the national database, try and get a match."  
  
"Not doing that now," Kim said firmly. "Boscorelli needs to get to the ER. You can talk to him later."  
  
Frustrated but refusing to feel totally out of the running Amelia followed the paramedics, Bosco, and his partner, down the alleyway. The front of the building was a hive of activity. Fire fighters swarmed around the entrance to the bar, their work watched by a dark haired figure poised on the rear bumper of the fire truck. Scowling, Amelia moved away from where Bosco was being loaded into the ambulance and approached him. "Jimmy? What the hell are you doing here? Your doc promised he wouldn't release you until I got there this evening."  
  
He gave a charming smile, took her hand to draw her down next to him. "Sweet talked him when I heard Bosco'd got caught up in there. Cap won't have me back at work for a couple of weeks at least but I wanna help with this investigation Mac."  
  
She was shaking her head immediately, trying to draw her hand out of his. This close to him the charm was impossible to resist. "No Jimmy. No. This guy's using all of you to push me off of his trail. I'm not letting him get to you."  
  
"Too late," Jimmy said softly. For once his dark eyes were serious as they locked with hers. "He made me a part of this the instant he messed with that staircase. I'm not an investigator but I'm a great fireman. Let me help get this guy."  
  
What she'd seen in his eyes had her regretfully nodding. "Alright." She pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, pressed them into his hand. "Grab a pizza and go to my place, 1132 Harding Avenue. I'll meet you there as soon as I've processed the scene." She smiled at Jimmy as she rose. "Pepperoni and lots of mushrooms." She allowed herself one moment of weakness and pressed her lips to his before she jogged away to her truck. Time for work. 


	13. Through the Keyhole

Title: When the Heat is On (13/?)  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com  
  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, not going to make any profit in using them. Warnings: Mentions of sex and violence in later chapters. Some adult language in this one.  
  
Notes: This story is set the summer following the second series and in my version of events Bobby survived the shooting.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Having friends in low places wasn't always a blessing but in this case it had been a bonus. Amelia had handed over the keys to her apartment but she'd needed her jeep and the equipment it carried to deal with the scene. Trying to catch a cab with this much activity going on in the area would be difficult, the street was full of cops, paramedics and firemen though, friends. A quick conversation with Doc had provided him with a ride over to Harding, putting up with Nieto's endless bull on the way over there had been the most difficult part.  
  
MacNab certainly lived in a better neighbourhood than his own. 1132 was a well-kept red brick town house. At some point the building had been converted from a large single family home into two, moderate sized apartments. From the intercom system it seemed that Amelia's apartment took up the top two floors. The stairs proved to be a slight challenge but eventually he found himself leaning against the wall next to her apartment door, his breathing gradually slowing to a normal level. Was a good thing he'd decided to hold off on the pizza delivery, it'd left his hands free and it would've been cold by the time Amelia got back from the scene anyway.  
  
Jimmy slid the key into the lock and turned it. The door swung open quietly, opening into a large living room. Two doors led off of its near wall, a narrow spiral staircase leading to the top floor in the corner opposite the apartment door. From the outside the place had looked pretty fancy, inside it was pure MacNab. The apartment was cool, the air conditioning keeping up with the heat, and pretty spacious. The living room focused around two large, comfortable looking couches and a large screen TV. It was the other rooms Jimmy was more interested in though. He wasn't the type to pry but the woman and her home intrigued him.  
  
He deposited the bunch of keys on a scarred wooden table and moved through the first door into the kitchen. It didn't look quite as homely as the living room. The countertops were clear of clutter, the stove gleaming new. The only concession to the room's actually purpose was a large bag of pretzels on the breakfast bar and a collage of take-out menus decorating half of the fridge. They'd come in handy when he got around to ordering the pizza.  
  
Leaving the kitchen without exploring further, Jimmy headed for the third room on this floor. As soon as he opened the door he knew this was the heart of Amelia's home, a combination of work and escape. In what was probably originally intended to be a dining room Amelia had created a library-study combination. Heavy wooden bookcases, brimming with books of every kind, lined one of the biscuit coloured walls. On the opposite side of the room a battered leather sofa provided the one soft spot, a plaid blanket draped over the back a testimony to the number of nights Amelia hadn't made it up to bed before the exhaustion had claimed her. The room's most dominant feature was the large wooden dining tale in the centre of the room. A delicate looking laptop sat in the middle of it, almost buried in piles of files. The mass looked like it was in total disarray but knowing Amelia there was careful order to the chaos.  
  
Weariness tugged at Jimmy's body as he wrapped an arm around his stomach. Even after two weeks in the hospital his body wasn't working at full capacity, it would take time. The journey from Mercy to the bar and then on to Amelia's apartment had taken its toll, leaving his healing abdomen stiff and aching and his limbs heavy. Turning, Jimmy appraised the couch, its leather upholstery was worn but it looked comfortable enough to melt beneath his body. He'd just rest up till she got here; give his body a chance to recover a little. Jimmy toed off his Nikes and settled himself onto the couch. He'd been right, it felt great beneath him, and the cushions cradled his aching body. His eyes fluttered shut, his thoughts slowly until sleep finally swept through him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The cushions shifted beneath him, jolting Jimmy awake as a weight settled on the edge of the couch. Gentle fingers skimmed over his brow, soothing fear before it could build. They slid over his cheek, hovered upon his lips before they were claimed by a soft kiss. His mouth curved beneath hers in a smile as the familiar taste of her filled his senses. His dark lashes fluttered open, sleepy eyes focusing on the lithe figure poised next to his chest. "Hey," he murmured softly. "Meant to be awake before you got home. Been back long?"  
  
She shrugged, dark curls shifting around her shoulders. "About half an hour. You needed the rest so I thought I'd grab a shower and order us dinner. There wasn't any fabulous pizza smells when I walked through the door, figured you hadn't got that far."  
  
Jimmy smiled sheepishly, levering himself up onto his elbows carefully. She'd given in to the warm weather when she'd dressed again, packing her curves into a pair of grey plaid pyjama bottoms and a figure hugging tank top in a similar shade that revealed the damage the collapse had done to her body. Ropes of reddened scars wound around her shoulder, down her upper arm. Pale, silvery lines, reminders of the surgeries that'd saved the limb bisected the scars. The first night they'd kissed in the hospital she'd tried to cover the marks as he'd peeled off her clothing but Jimmy had drawn her fingers away, kissed the scars until her shame had faded.  
  
Catching the glance he cast at her choice of attire, MacNab returned his smile. "I have a thing for pyjamas. I wear them almost all the time I'm in the house."  
  
"Sweet," Jimmy murmured. The woman certainly wasn't predictable; he'd readily admit that. His smile faded as he caught sight of the thick folder that she'd deposited on the floor next to him. Another emergency worker had come close to death today; it was the time for work not desire. He nodded towards the file, drawing her attention to it. "You started working on that yet?"  
  
Nipping at her lower lip, Amelia shook her head. For just a few minutes she'd indulged herself in a little normality. Until the arsonist was caught her life would never really be normal. "I was waiting for the pizza to arrive."  
  
A dark brow rose as the buzz of the doorbell punctuated her words. For once he didn't want to be saved by the bell. Jimmy planted his feet on the floor and rose slowly as Amelia rushed out of the room. He reached for the file and dumped it in the middle of the table. They'd be working while they ate. The murmur of voices drifted in briefly from the living room, then he heard the apartment door close.  
  
He turned as Amelia strode back into the room, found himself smiling as he noticed the beers dangling from her fingers. "Think you've been reading my mind."  
  
"Figured we'd need them by the time we've worked through all this." She set the beers and pizza down on the table and dropped into a seat. "We'll eat while the computer does its search through the databases for this guy," Amelia explained as Jimmy settled opposite.  
  
The computer was already powered up, the search page of a database on its screen. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
With one hand Amelia nudged the folder towards him, with the other she flipped the pizza box open, letting the spicy sent of hot pepperoni fill the air. "There's a statement from Boscorelli in there that includes a physical description in it. It's probably too general to help much but we'll give it a try."  
  
Jimmy flipped through the contents until he found what he was looking for. He read each detail aloud, hoping something amongst them would click, bring the guy's identity to mind. Nothing fell into place and by the time he flipped the file closed the gloom had started drifting back into his mind. It felt like an impossible task. Amelia was right there when he looked up though, a smile on her lips as she held out a slice of pizza to him. It was going to be a long night but when she smiled at him like that it seemed like things might just work out and they'd get the guy. 


	14. There's Still Life In An Old Dog

Title: When the Heat Is On (14/?)

Rating: PG-13

Author: Angela Penfold

Email: AngelaPRPiaol.com

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters (except for Amelia), not going to make any profit by writing about them.

Notes: This story takes place the summer after the end of season 2, and has Bobby in it, having survived the gunshot.

Chapter 14  
  
851 matches found. Three hours of searching on half a dozen different databases and even after another hour cross-referencing and picking out the impossible matches they were still only down to 851 files. Tossing another of her folders on the case down on the desk Amelia let out a frustrated sigh. The hope she'd felt when Boscorelli had provided their first detailed description of the suspect had slowly been fading away until it'd almost entirely been warped by desperation and misery. By the time they weeded the right file out of the bunch the guy could've burnt down half of New York.  
  
Lifting her head Amelia smiled wearily at Jimmy. He looked as exhausted as she felt. Dark shadows arced under his eyes, the rest of his face pale and creased. "Welcome to my world. I expected this to be tough, ninety-nine percent of my cases are, but it's worse than I anticipated. There're so many tiny differences between each of these guys. Sometimes plugging in a piece of data'll discount a hundred possible suspects from the pile but this time, it's like the guy knows every common characteristic and he's sticking to them. It'll take us weeks to discount these results one by one."  
  
Jimmy nodded slowly, his expression grim. "By which time the guy'll probably kill someone else, maybe disappear too." If the guy altered his playing field, headed away from New York, they'd probably never find him. He'd disappeared underground for three years before, there wasn't anything stopping him doing that again.  
  
Returning the nod, Amelia flopped back in her chair, legs stretching out to brush against his under the table. "And there's a chance he'll find out I'm still investigating him before we track him down. This guy's a smart son of a bitch; he's arrogant too though. After what he did to Boscorelli today he probably thinks I'm going to back down but he doesn't know me, never has and while he's still underestimating me I'm going to keep fighting. I'm not giving up Jimmy."  
  
"None of us are giving up on this," Jimmy said firmly. Reaching across the table he settled his hand over Amelia's and squeezed gently. "We've all got a stake in this now and that means we work together. How much quicker's this gonna go with an entire task force working on this?"  
  
"A task force?" Amelia asked doubtfully. She shook her head, jaw tightening as determination set in. "If I go to my boss asking for extra help on this, he's going to think I can't handle it. He'll take me off the case." For a moment her voice wavered. She'd come too far, come too close to catching the man who'd tried to kill her to give up now. "I need to do this without the arson team's support." They'd realise how much of a personal stake she had in it, would call it a conflict of interest and pass all her hard work onto somebody else, someone who wouldn't give a damn about who it was they were catching.  
  
The corners of Jimmy's lips twitched upwards, briefly displaying his dimples. "I wasn't talking about an official task force, I've got a better one of my own, the cops, paramedics and fire fighters of the 55th. They've all been drawn into this. We get them all here and we've got a chance at getting this guy fast."  
  
Doubt remained in Amelia's eyes, the idea of backup on the battlefield still new to her. After the building collapse she'd become a lone wolf, not wanting the pity of others around her as she struggled to get back to the job she loved, now there were people there who wanted to give her the support everybody needed, whether they knew it or not. "How many people are we talking here? A few'll help but too many and it'll just get confusing."  
  
"Nine," he said quickly. "Bosco and Yokas were nearly killed today, they'll fight to get in on this, Kim and Bobby too. Going through all this might make something click. Sullivan and Doc've worked around here for years, they've got knowledge and connections I couldn't even dream of. Their partners'll have to be part of the deal. Nieto's an asshole but even assholes have their uses. I want Alex Taylor here too, she'll back you up on the technical details."  
  
"She's got arson training?" Amelia asked, raising a brow in disbelief.  
  
Straight white teeth sank into Jimmy's lower lip for a moment. "Not exactly but she's got the smarts Mac, and her family's been on the force forever."  
  
Raising a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, Amelia let out a sigh. Allowing nine extra people into her investigation was taking a huge chance with her career but if she let the guy slip through the net again things would be over for her anyway.  
  
"At some point I know this is all gonna turn round and kick me in the ass. Make the calls and I'll get all this stuff into some kind of usable set-up. They are all computer literate right? We won't have time for me to start explaining the joys of database use."  
  
"They use them in the squads." Jimmy shrugged as he eased himself to his feet and shifted easily around the table. "Bobby got into that whole net thing last year too. You're not going to regret this baby." Smiling, Jimmy bent and kissed the lines a frown was etching into her brow.  
  
Somehow Amelia knew this was a decision she'd probably regret bitterly.  
  
Amelia scowled at the young man who stood in the hallway outside her apartment door. He wasn't the first to arrive, was actually the second last getting there but out of the eight people she'd now opened the door to, he was the one that looked least like an emergency worker. The backward sweep to his dark, ruffled hair and his battered leather jacket spoke more of trendy bars and college students than the pace and gore of working as a paramedic.  
  
He obviously wasn't letting her spiky attitude ruin his excitement though, if anything the grin only widened as he offered her his hand. "I'm Carlos," he announced as she warily shook it. "Nieto."  
  
"Nice to see you again," Amelia muttered. She'd recognised everyone who'd swept into her apartment, had spoken to or run into them at some point in her investigation. So far all had been gracious and polite, more than ready to help but she'd still felt awkward with the team growing like this, especially when she'd opened the door to find Jimmy's ex-wife and her paramedic partner lip-locked on her doorstep. She took a step back, gesturing Carlos through the door and towards the study. "The others are in there, work's set up."  
  
Jimmy's voice boomed out as they moved into what had become a temporary headquarters. The room was bordering on crowded but even in a group Jimmy made himself stand out. "Nieto! You're late." A playful grin had his dimples flashing as he tossed a stubby white item towards Carlos.  
  
The younger man caught it easily, and then stared in confusion at the Sharpie marker in his hand. "I was out getting something to eat. What do you want me to do with this?"  
  
"Write," Jimmy said simply, laughing even though he didn't take the bait Nieto's question had so blatantly offered. "You wanna take your time getting here, you get the shittiest job. We need all the details we call out put on the board."  
  
"Man," Nieto whined. Grumbling but still clutching the pen, he stripped off his jacket and weaved his way over to the large sheets of paper stuck to the bookcases in lieu of white boards. "I'm not even the latest, Sully's not here yet."  
  
For the first time since people had started flooding into her home Amelia found herself smiling. Nieto had sounded exactly like a spoilt child. According to Jimmy, note taking was the best task to deal out to the paramedic; at least he'd had the most recent experience of it at college. The buzz of the doorbell through the room had her taking a step backwards towards the front door. "That's him now. I needed him to pick up some computer supplies for me on the way." Networking her computers was going to make compiling everyone's work far easier.  
  
The conversations going on in her study faded back into a muted hum as Amelia marched back to the living room to let Sullivan in. They'd already started zooming in on the arsonist's identity; with the full nine helpers it would hopefully make the entire process faster. Sullivan made his friendly greeting and handed the cables that she'd requested over to her as they moved through the apartment. The guy was friendly enough to put her at ease and certainly seemed intelligent enough.  
  
Amelia could feel his solid presence behind her as she stepped back into the crowd and was quickly met by Bobby. "Fax finally spat out the artist's impression Bosco gave earlier," Caffey announced.  
  
"Thanks," Amelia murmured. She took the thin sheet of paper into one hand, staring at the grainy image printed on it. Somehow the picture should've been ringing a hundred bells for her, this was the guy who'd tried to kill her for Christ's sake but the recognition just wasn't there. When Sully's voice emerged behind her she barely reacted, it wasn't until the words had sunk in that she span around, her fingers convulsively clutching at the fax paper. "What did you say?"  
  
Sully glanced back and forth between Amelia and the rest of the group, slight confusion in his eyes. "I could've saved you guys a lot of trouble if I'd realised it was Jake Nova we were after," he said, gesturing to the artist's impression. Magically their break had finally come. 


	15. End of an Era

Title: When The Heat Is On (15/?)  
  
Author: Angela Penfold  
  
Email: AngelaPRPiaol.com  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, not going to make any profit by writing about them.  
  
Notes: This story is set the summer after Bobby's shooting. In this storyline he's survived.  
  
Chapter 15  
  
He was pacing around the apartment like a caged tiger, stalking from room to room in one continuous circuit. Dark eyes met the others' briefly, always skittering nervously back to the telephone. While Amelia and the cops, even Bosco, had gone out to grab Nova, Jimmy'd been told to stay put and co-ordinate things from the apartment. He hated it. Normally he was in the thick of things, first one into the most dangerous situations but today he was sitting it out on the sidelines and it was killing him. Must've been what it was like for the spouses of fire fighters and cops and the armed forces, anyone on the front lines, stuck at home, near hysterical, with no information while their loved ones were in the worst positions on this earth.  
  
Jimmy's stride faltered as he turned and found Kim watching him from the study doorway. He slowed, and then stopped entirely a couple of feet away from her when it was clear Kim wasn't going to move. For now the circuit had been broken and the concern in her eyes had Jimmy wanting to back up. Over the years there'd been times when Kim's ability to see beneath his surface bullshit had been reassuring, tonight it just seemed to make him feel awkward.  
  
"They finished up in there?" he asked softly. He gestured towards the study and its few remaining occupants with a nod. When Amelia and the others had secured the needed warrant and raced off, they'd left the others here to finish tying the details of the case to what they knew of Jacob Nova Lovavich. Doc, Alex and Bobby he could still see sitting around the table but Nieto was nowhere to be seen, was probably examining the few personal items on display in Amelia's apartment.  
  
Kim shrugged and slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. "Just finishing up. Carlos is playing solitaire or something. You're worried about her," she said softly, her words more a statement than a question.  
  
A slightly bashful grin tugged at Jimmy's lips, dimples appearing and disappearing in a flash. The connection that'd always remained between them had always made discussing things like this awkward. Biting his lip, Jimmy glanced away. Things had been difficult to say the last with Brooke, his family nearly tearing itself apart, he didn't want the same situation happening this time. Nerves fluttered in his stomach as he turned back to Kim.  
  
"Yeah," Jimmy finally admitted quietly. Even if he and Amelia hadn't got anywhere near serious yet there was still a close relationship there, one that had a chance of lasting. "That guy's had his attention focused on her from the start, she shouldn't be out there trying to take him down now. Nova's dangerous Kim but she wasn't gonna let anyone make her stay here." The worry about all the things that could go wrong with the arrest had been powering his pacing around the apartment.  
  
"She's a tough lady, determined." Kim drew in a deep breath and smiled. "I'm glad you found someone like her to love Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy stared at Kim in confusion, dark eyes searching her face for some sort of explanation. In the past jealousy had always caused problems for both of them whenever something, or rather someone, good appeared on the horizon, this time it seemed to be missing. "Kim, things haven't gone that far yet. Amelia and me are too new to start talking about that stuff yet. She hasn't even met Joey."  
  
She shrugged again, the smile still curving Kim's lips. For once she really did seem happy for him. Maybe, just maybe, they'd both grown up enough to deal with moving on. "I've seen the way you've looked at each other, there's something special there Jimmy. As for Joey, all she has to do is let him play on that computer of hers and he'll love her forever."  
  
A soft laugh finally emerged from Jimmy and he lifted a hand to massage the slowly relaxing muscles of his neck. "He's been going on about Adam's for months, keeps asking if he can have one for his birthday. I didn't know if you were gonna be OK with this." He gestured around the apartment with his hand as he returned it to his side. "With me and Mac seeing each other."  
  
His words seemed to touch something inside Kim, suddenly softening her smile and making her turn to look over her shoulder, into the study. Seeing the movement at the door, Bobby's head rose, his face immediately lighting up as his eyes settled on Kim. Understanding burst through Jimmy like a firework exploding. Kim's happiness for him was stemming from what was obviously her own newfound joy.  
  
Jimmy smiled, his eyes meeting Kim's as she turned back. "Always wondered when you'd get back with Caffey. He's a good guy."  
  
"Is that it?" Kim asked, brows and voice rising in disbelief. In the past there'd always been far more mocking comments from Jimmy at the signs of a fledgling relationship between his ex-wife and her partner. 'Good guy' seemed like a seriously weak insult.  
  
As if copying her earlier gesture, Jimmy shrugged and slid his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. He still felt awkward talking about this stuff with Kim but mocking the feelings growing between her and Bobby didn't hold the same juvenile pleasure it once had. "That's it. He cares about you Kim, loves you, always has." The words stuck in his throat slightly but the bright flare of jealousy no longer accompanied them. What was blooming between the pair now had been coming on for a long time.  
  
"Cares about Joey too and he'll take good care of both of you," Jimmy continued. "Can't say I'll never feel jealous about what he's got with you but as long as he makes you happy I'm gonna support it."  
  
For a moment Kim stared at Jimmy in silence, probably waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it didn't come she simply stepped forward and engulfed Jimmy in a brief hug. Her lip was quivering when she moved back. "Thanks Jimmy," she whispered.  
  
The spell of calm and civility broke with an almost audible pop. From within the study one voice boomed out, loud and instantly grating on the nerves. It was Carlos. "Oh ... my ... God!"  
  
Irrational fear unfurled in Jimmy's stomach as he rushed past Kim and into the room. It was unlikely Carlos had found anything that would prove dangerous but his voice of words had been poor. Nieto turned as Jimmy steamed towards him, a grin spreading over his lips. He gestured with the leather bound volume he held open in his hands. "You dog," Carlos crowed. "You should've shared the goods man. There was me thinking she was a butch ice queen but damn ... who knew she was hiding those kinda goods." Playfully sticking his tongue out in a slightly lewd gesture, Carlos held up the photo album.  
  
Jimmy felt a flash of lust as he studied the candid shot of Amelia. Taken pre-building collapse, she wasn't looking at all self conscious in the bikini she was barely wearing, no scars to cover up then. Instead she looked happy and content and beautiful. In an instant the lust was gone, replaced by a longer lasting glow in his chest and a red veil over his vision. Something in his expression, some change, must've tipped the others off because Bobby and Doc were instantly reaching for him.  
  
"Jimmy," Doc warned softly, trying to protect his partner. "He's just running off at the mouth, he didn't mean anything."  
  
Slowly Jimmy shrugged the two men away. In his condition he wouldn't be able to kick Nieto's ass as thoroughly as he'd usually want to anyway. "It's OK," he muttered. "I'm not gonna hit him."  
  
The two paramedics continued to eye him warily but they'd moved back enough to give him room to move. Of course Jimmy took the opportunity to launch himself forward. The photo album hit the floor as Jimmy's fists grasped Carlos' shirt, the smile fast becoming a grimace on the younger man's face as he was slammed back into the bookcases with a resounding thud. Doc and Bobby were instantly on Jimmy, breaking his grip and dragging him back but he'd already attained his goal. Carlos backed towards the rear of the room, fear flickering in his dark eyes.  
  
Shrugging off the hands for a second time, Jimmy held up a hand to signal he was done. A tight grin curved his lips as he pointed a warning finger in Nieto's direction. "Talk about a woman I love like that again and I'm gonna tear you a new asshole. You hear me?"  
  
Trying to win back some semblance of bravery, Carlos smoothed a hand over the front of his shirt, attempting to erase Jimmy's touch. "I didn't know man."  
  
"Now you do," Jimmy said softly. "Keep your mouth shut from now on." 


	16. Blaze of Glory

Title: When The Heat Is On (16?)

Author: Angela Penfold

Email: PG-13

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, not going to make any profit by writing about them.

Notes: This story is set the summer after Bobby's shooting. In this storyline he's survived.

Chapter 16 

Jacob Nova Lovavich. Born February 23rd 1977 in New York city to cop Mike Nova and housewife Irena Lovavich, now deceased. Over the years Jake had got himself into a fair number of scrapes, building a little juvenile record of petty complaints, mostly vandalism but by the time he'd headed off to Chicago for college he seemed to have cleaned up his act. Now it was obvious he'd just got better at covering his tracks, a double major in chemistry and forensic science had helped there. Without his recent slip-ups and Sullivan's one-in-a-million chance recognition they might never have caught the guy. He'd been tracked down now and Jake Nova, intelligent pyromaniac, murderer and general scumbag was gonna be put behind bars for life.

Holding her breath Amelia crept along the hallway behind the four armed officers. Doing this sort of thing wasn't part of her job, she was supposed to deal with science and logic rather than going out to arrest a dangerous criminal. Begrudgingly the detective who'd been assigned to the case had agreed to let the uniformed officers handle the take down, she'd had to beg Sullivan to get in on it too. Ever watchful of the safety of civilians, Sully had ordered her to the back of the group where he and the other three could protect her if things went wrong. Amelia wanted to take an active role in taking down the guy who'd hurt her, who'd nearly killed Jimmy and Boscorelli but she wasn't suicidal, letting the officers lead this was fine by her.

Up ahead, Sullivan paused outside an apartment door and held up a hand, silently signalling them to stop. They'd reached the apartment, the place where Jake Nova had holed up the last few months, coming up with his sick little plans to devastate the fire department. The hallway itself was now quiet but the sound from a TV echoed inside the apartment. As agreed Amelia stayed tucked behind Faith as Sully and Bosco took up flanking positions either side of the door. Soon as everyone was settled in place, guns held at the ready, Sullivan raised a hand and knocked on the door. Amelia's breath froze in her lungs as she waited to see if the knock would be answered. Was Jacob Nova Lovavich really that stupid, or that arrogant? Was he that unworried about being caught that he'd just face up to the police like that?

Obviously not, Amelia thought as a minute ticked by with no response. This guy would remain on the streets at any cost, wanted to stay free to continue creating havoc in the city. She wasn't gonna give him the chance.

Once again Sully rapped a bulky fist again the door, this time calling out too. "NYPD, open up!" For a moment the situation remained unchanged, no movement, no sound other than the TV. Proved to be the calm before the storm though. Suddenly the peace was shattered, glass broke within the apartment, the crash making Amelia jump. It was the scream that followed that was the worst part though, an anguished, pain filled cry that echoed through the building. Even while Amelia was still coming down from the shock, swallowed hard to tamp down her own unexpected fear, the cops were moving. At a single nod of agreement from the three officers with him Sully took a quick half step backwards then he burst forward. One solid kick had the door flying inwards, the four officers moving in together, guns drawn.

Amelia followed at a far more sedate pace, creeping into the apartment in the wake of the others as they swept through the cramped space. Her wide eyes darted around the place, as if expecting the guy to rise like a spectre out of a corner. The only sounds around her as she crossed the living room floor were her own hoarse breathing, the buzz of the TV and the hushed voices of the four cops. It only took a few moments to clear most of the apartment, just one closed door left now. Bosco was just reaching for the door handle when Amelia laid a hand on his arm.

His brow furrowed, a tough of anger in his eyes as he turned to her. The woman had a right to be in on the case but she was only here right now because she'd agreed to hang back and let them do their job. "What?" he snapped.

She made a big show of sniffing the air before gesturing to the bottom of the door and the thin cloud of grey sliding beneath it. "Smoke," she said softly. "And heat. Can you feel it Officer Boscorelli?"

Bosco nodded grimly, his weight shifting as he eased a step back from the smoke obscured door. The blaze now burning was becoming more obvious with every passing moment, heat rolling out like that closed off room had become a blast furnace. "I can feel it," he muttered softly, free hand already reaching for the cell phone on his belt. For all he cared the entire place could go up but he wanted Nova safe, wanted him alive so they could go for round 2. This time he'd get the upper hand, get a little payback.

Further warnings from Amelia weren't needed, they'd all worked with the fire department enough over the years to learn the main warning signs. When a door radiated that much heat you didn't open it, that was just inviting a fire storm of trouble. As one they backed away past Amelia, each of the four officers clearing a path out of the danger zone. Faith's eyes flicked to Amelia but still the woman didn't move.

"Amelia…" Sully warned softly. "If he's still in there, it's over."

Still she stood her ground, head shaking in denial while her eyes remained on the now burning door. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen, this wasn't the plan she'd set out in her head during all those hours of physiotherapy, he wasn't paying for his crimes. "No," Amelia growled, her jaw tightening. "It's never going to be over." Even if Nova had burned himself with one of his creations there wouldn't be an end to this. Jacob Nova Lovavich's crimes would live on in the grim nightmares he'd left them and in the scars he'd left on their bodies. The only sort of closure she'd get would be to see him rotting behind bars.

Even as her mind screamed at her to step back and wait for the engines to arrive, her heart had her stepping forward, her hand stupidly reaching out for the red-hot handle of the doors. Inches from it the world erupted – voices yelled, people rushing in behind her to haul her to safety, those high wailing screams emerging once more, ringing in her ears moments before the door finally exploded outwards and fire boiled around her.

For a moment it all seemed to freeze in time, seconds becoming an eternity as she stood at the core of an inferno, then with an almost audible pop it snapped back into focus. A ball of flame rushed for her, the once human figure it'd engulfed reaching out for her. Searing air filled her lungs as she gasped, a scream boiling up from somewhere deep inside her chest but then the hands were there, frantically grabbing at her jacket and then they hauled her away. Amelia stumbled back, her body writhing as Ty and Sully's hands beat at her, trying to extinguish the flames that'd made the leap to her clothing. Tears blurred Amelia's vision but still she tore herself free, ripping her jacket away, tossing it to the floor.

Bosco reached for her, tried to pull her out of harm's way but she just sank to her knees, her body wracked with shuddery sobs as she watched the flaming figure writhe and then fall still in the corner. Whatever life had been left to drive the man out of that room was gone. Mutely Amelia watched the flames on the body spread, catching the side of the couch.

A strong hand gripped her upper arm, remained in place as she was hauled to her feet. Somehow Sullivan's soft voice broke through the ringing in her ears, broke the suicidal, bleak spell that'd settled around her. "Amelia, it's over." This time it was, before they'd had the chance to bring Jake Nova to justice, he'd been killed by the thing he'd loved the most, his beautiful fire. "The fire's spreading, we need to get out."

Silently Amelia let them lead her away. Her mission was over, everything she'd fought for in the last few years snuffed out.


End file.
